t 


WHERE   IS  THE  CITY? 


BOSTON: 
ROBERTS    BROTHERS. 

1868. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1868,  by 

ROBERTS    BROTHERS, 
In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the- District  of  Massachusetts. 


DK 

157 


CONTENTS. 


INTRODUCTION. 
AMONG     THE     BAPTISTS. 

CHAPTER    I. 
A  Baptist  Layman, I 

CHAPTER  II. 
Sketch  of  the  Baptist  Minister's  Sermon,     ...          9 

CHAPTER  III. 
The  Baptism  by  Immersion, 16 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Restricted  Communion, 23 

CHAPTER  V. 
Conversation  with  a  Baptist  Divine,     ....        31 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Baptist  Society  for  Religious  Inquiry,  ...        40 

CHAPTER  VII. 
Four  Faces, 47 

AMONG  THE  CONGREGATIONALISTS. 

CHAPTER  I. 

In  a  Congregational  Sunday  School,  ...        51 

iii 


IV  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER   II. 
In  a  Congregational  Sunday  School,  continued,          .        57 

CHAPTER  III. 
The  Baptism  by  Aspersion 70 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Talk  with  Congregational  Clergymen,          ...         77 

AMONG    THE    METHODISTS. 

CHAPTER   I. 
The  Methodist  Prayer  Meeting, 97 

CHAPTER  II. 
Cyprian  Cutting's  Call, no 

CHAPTER  in. 
Methodist  Doctrine, 114 

CHAPTER  IV. 
The  Fold  of  Flocks, .       119 

CHAPTER  V. 
An  Old  Man's  Opinion  of  Methodism,         .         .        .       134 

CHAPTER  VI. 
The  Methodist  Annual  Conference,       ....       140 

AMONG    THE    EPISCOPALIANS. 

CHAPTER  I. 
The  Episcopal  Ordination, 151 

CHAPTER  II. 
Episcopal  Doctrine, 159 

CHAPTER  III. 
Luminous  Points  of  Episcopacy, 162 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Another  Opinion 177 


CONTENTS.  V 

AMONG    THE    QUAKERS. 

CHAPTER   I. 
Friends'  Meeting, 181 

CHAPTER  II. 
Further  Observations,      .  186 

AMONG    THE    S  WEDENBO  RGI ANS. 

CHAPTER  I. 
Conversation  with  a  Swedenborgian,    ....       195 

CHAPTER  II. 
Conversation  Continued, 208 

CHAPTER   III. 
Who  was  Emanuel  Swedenborg?  r  213 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Concluding  conversation, 218 

AMONG    THE    SPIRITUALISTS. 

CHAPTER  I. 
A  Sitting  with  a  Spiritual  Medium,      ....       227 

CHAPTER  II. 
More  Advice, 237 

CHAPTER  III. 
Talk  with  a  Spiritualist, 243 

CHAPTER  IV. 
A  Spiritual  Trajectory, 253 

AMONG    THE    UNI VERS ALIS TS. 

CHAPTER  I. 
The  Universalist  Sermon, 259 


vi  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  II. 
Conversation  with  a  Universalist,          ....       273 

CHAPTER  III. 
Second  Sermon, 286 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Three  Months  Later 298 

AMONG    THE    UNITARIANS. 

CHAPTER  I. 
Preliminary  Observations, 303 

CHAPTER   II. 
Conversation,  .        . 310 

CHAPTER  III. 
The  Practical  Sermon, 331 

FINDING    THE    CITY. 

A  Letter, 345 

The  Reply, '     ....      345 

Conclusion, 348 


INTRODUCTION. 


ISRAEL  KNIGHT  opened  his  Bible  at  Ezekiel  48  :  35, 
reading, — 

"  And  the  name  of  the  city  from  that  day  shall  be, 
The  Lord  is  there" 

Closing  the  book,  he  reflected.  At  length  he  said, 
"  O  !  that  I  might  find  the  city  with  that  name ! " 

This  figure  was  not  marked  upon  his  mind  at 
the  bidding  of  the  ideal  pencil  of  a  new  impulse  ; 
it  was  there  as  is  the  print  of  palms  upon  stone. 
Nature,  which  is  one  of  the  names  of  God,  had 
graven  it.  It  is  natural  for  every  soul,  soon  or 
late,  to  utter  this  aspiration.'  Whether  the  accidents 
are  sublime,  or  trifling,  or  terribly  adverse,  the  im- 
mortal sometimes  looks  upward.  He  yearns  for  the 
repose  which  is  absolute. 

Israel  Knight  had  come  to  this  recognition.  The 
figure  before  him  was  beautiful ;  but  more  than  this, 
the  fact,  that —  Somewhere,  there  is  a  church,  a 
peculiar  people  whose  name  is  rightly,  "  The  Lord 
is  there"  Being  a  youth  who  lacked  a  little  of  his 
majority,  he  addressed  to  his  guardian  the  following : 
vii 


VJii  INTRODUCTION. 

"RESPECTED    SiR:  — 

"  I  hope  I  am  a  Christian.  As  I  have  had  but  little  experience, 
and  have  examined  few  books  except  those  used  in  my  classes, 
I  am  undecided  what  Church  I  had  better  select,  with  which 
to  connect  myself. 

"  Please  advise  me  upon  this  important  subject,  and  oblige 
Yours  obediently, 

ISRAEL  KNIGHT." 
He  received  this  reply :  — 

"  MY  DEAR  YOUNG  FRIEND:  — 

"  I  hope  you  are  a  true  disciple  of  Christ.  He  that  doeth  His 
will  shall  know  of  the  doctrine.  Love  the  Lord  your  God 
with  all  your  heart,  and  your  neighbor  as  yourself,  and  you 
will  find  the  truth. 

"  An  old  man  like  myself  sees  through  different  spectacles 
from  those  used  by  young  eyes.  God  is  good.  He  gives  wis- 
dom to  all  who  seek  it  with  a  humble  mind.  Therefore,  look 
for  yourself;  but  my  advice  is  —  look  on  all  sides  before  you 
cleave  to  any. 

"  Be  cautious  about  starting  to  make  your  jar,  lest,  like  the 
one  you  found  in  Horace,  as  the  wheel  goes  round,  it  turns  out 
an  insignificant  pitcher. 

Yours  truly, 

EPHRAIM  STEARNS." 

Our  inquirer  was  now  as  much  in  obscurity  as 
before,  only  it  was  clear  that  a  work  was  before  him, 
which  no  one  else  could  do.  "  Shall  I  have  recourse 
to  a  religious  cyclopaedia?"  he  asked  himself.  Then 
he  thought  of  the  words  "  books  as  affected,  are  as 
men,"  and  concluded  to  adopt  the  most  inartificial 
course  for  the  present.  Knowing  that  business  was 
soon  to  call  him  to  a  distant  part  of  the  State,  he 
determined  to  keep  the  special  object  in  recollection. 


THE    WAY    TO    THE    CITY. 


"  This  (my  way)  is  the  way,  walk  ye  in  it,  when  ye  turn  to 
the  right  hand,  and  when  ye  turn  to  the  left." 

THE  SECTARY. 


"  When  he  that  is  a  fool  walketh  by  the  way,  his  wisdom 
faileth  him,  and  he  saith  to  every  one  that  he  is  a  fool." 

ECCL.  10 :  3. 

"  And  yet  I  show  unto  you  a  more  excellent  way.  Though 
I  speak  with  the  tongues  of  men  and  of  angels,  and  have  not 
charity,  I  am  become  as  sounding  brass,  or  a  tinkling  cymbal." 

PAUL  TO  THE  CORINTHIANS. 


IX 


AMONG    THE    BAPTISTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

A     BAPTIST     LAYMAN. 

ISRAEL  read  the  New  Testament  with  interest.  He 
thought  he  had  great  advantage  in  being  able  to  study 
the  sacred  words  in  the  unadulterated  Greek.  Besides 
the  Greek  Testament  which  he  used  in  college,  he 
owned  one,  in  which  had  been  written  by  his  father's 
hand  copious  marginal  notes  in  Latin  and  English. 
This  copy  was  old  enough  to  have  on  its  title  page : 
"  Londini,  Excudebat  A.  Lemington  :  Impensis  J. 
F.  &  C.  Lemington.  MDCLVI." 

By  the  time  he  had  arrived  at  the  village  of  his 
temporary  destination,  he  had  examined  into  the  third 
chapter  of  the  Gospel  by  Matthew.  It  will  be  seen 
that  he  travelled  leisurely  over  the  ground.  At  the 
eleventh  verse  of  this  chapter  he  stopped  short,  for 
here  was  a  note  in  the  paternal  handwriting :  "  In 
water,  upon  repentance.  Or,  according  to  the  para- 
phrase of  Grotius,  '  upon  that  profession  of  repentance 
which  you  make.'  "  In  his  English  version,  he  found 
this  verse  to  read,  "  I,  indeed,  baptize  you  with  water 
unto  repentance." 

It  was  now  Sunday  morning.  Having  arrived  at 
the  hotel  late  on  the  previous  evening,  he  was  at 
breakfast  when  the  church-bell  of  the  village  began  to 


2  AMONG   THE    BAPTISTS. 

ring.  He  asked  his  landlord  what  people  worshipped 
there. 

"  We  are  almost  all  Baptists  hereabouts,"  answered 
that  individual;  "we've  had  a  great  revival  lately, 
and  there's  going  to  be  some  twenty  souls  baptized  to- 
day. Better  go  and  see  them." 

"  Yes,"  said  Israel  with  a  new  interest ;  "I  shall 
gladly  embrace  this  opportunity."  He  thought  that 
his  coming  hither  at  that  time  was  providential,  and 
repeated  to  himself,  "  For  he  that  hath  mercy  on 
them  shall  lead  them,  even  by  the  springs  of  water 
shall  he  guide  them."  Is.  49  :  10.  He  did  not  yet  see 
that  all  events  are  providential.  "  Yon  have  witnessed 
such  important  occasions  as  baptizings  before  ?  "  con- 
tinued the  man. 

"  No,  sir,"  replied  Israel ;  "  having  spent  nearly  all 
my  life  in  school,  I  have  seen  but  little  of  the  various 
forms  and  customs  of  the  world." 

"Folks  dead,  mostly,  perhaps?" 

"  Yes,  I  can  adopt  the  language  of  the  inspired 
prophet  — '  Behold  I  was  left  alone!'  I  have,  how- 
ever, a  good  guardian." 

"  Property,  I  presume,  for  him  to  look  after?  Well, 
I  hope  you  will  make  «p  your  mind  to  cast  your  lot 
in  with  us  Baptists.  We're  a  great  people,  sir,  and 
we  date  back  to  the  Lord  Jesus  himself,  who  was  the 
true  founder  of  our  denomination.  That,  you  know, 
is  what  no  other  sect  in  Christendom  can  begin  to 
boast  of." 

"  To  whom  do  the  Congregationalists  refer,  as  their 
founder?"  asked  Israel. 

"  Not  to  the  Lord,"  answered  the  man,  shaking  his 


A    BAPTIST    LAYMAN.  3 

head  oracularly  ;  u  they're  always  talking  about  Cir- 
cumcision and  the  Covenant.  I  don't  know  which  of 
the  two  they  take  for  their  forefather.  There  never 
was  a  se_t  of  people  more  deluded  than  they  are,  unless 
it  is  the  Catholics.  They  beat  all  for  that." 

"The  Roman  Catholics,  do  you  mean?"  interposed 
the  young  man,  quietly. 

"  Of  course,  sir,"  answered  the  landlord  with  an  air 
of  irritation. 

"  They  refer  to  Christ  as  their  founder,  though  we 
Protestants  believe  that  there  has  been  in  some  of  their 
data,  a  falling  away  from  the  apostolic  faith  and 
practice.  We  certainly  decline  to  acknowledge  the 
4  Dattim  apzid  Sancttim  Petrumj "  added  Israel, 
who  had  not  yet  put  away  the  attempts  at  pedantry, 
which  are  the  folly  of  nearly  all  newly-emancipated 
collegians. 

"  O,  as  to  that,  you  see,  sir,"  said  the  landlord  in  an 
uncertain  way  —  "Ah!  what  was  I  about  to  say? 
Yes,  all  the  sects  try  to  get  straight  descent  from  the 
Lord  of  Hosts  ;  but,  sir,"  (striking  on  the  table  byway 
of  emphasis) ,  "  not  one  of  them  have  a  grain  of  truth  in 
'em,  only  what  they  fetch  round  from  us  Baptists. 
You  know  that  place  where  it  says, '  If  you  don't  follow 
my  words,  you  will  be  cast  into  the  fire  and  burned,'  or 
something  like." 

"  Do  you  believe  that  all  who  are  not  Baptists  will 
share  that  fate?  "  now  asked  Israel,  dropping  his  fork 
and  looking  fixedly  at  his  host. 

"  I  wouldn't  go  bail  for  them,"  answered  the  man  ; 
then  continued  in  a  tone  of  greater  seriousness, — 
"Young  man,  if  you  want  to  be  on  the  safe  side,  you'd 


4  AMONG    THE    BAPTISTS. 

better  make  up  your  mind  at  once.  I  think  after  you 
have  seen  them  baptized  to-day,  you  will  be  wholly  of 
my  mind." 

"I  have  had  friends,  of  other  denomination*,  whom 
I  highly  regard  for  their  goodness,"  said  Israel ;  "  now, 
these  are  either  going  to  be  saved  after  death,  or  they 
are  not.  Certain  it  is  that  not  one  of  them  has  been 
baptized  by  immersion.  But  perhaps  you  believe  in 
a  purgatorial  state,"  he  added,  "  in  which  these  people 
will  be  disciplined  for  their  delinquency,  while  the 
Baptists  will  go  immediately  to  Heaven?  " 

u  No,  none  of  that.  I  believe  in  two  places  after 
death,  and  only  two,"  answered  the  landlord. 

"  Very  well.  To  which  shall  these  good  Christians 
who  have  not  been  baptized  like  yourself,  go  ?  " 

"  I've  got  a  book,"  said  the  man  moving  uneasily  in 
his  chair,  "  which  I  want  you  to  read.  It  is  written 
by  one  of  our  most  famous  Baptist  ministers,  and  ex- 
plains all  this  much  clearer  than  I  can.  You  see  I  am 
a  plain  man,  and  not  a  D.  D." 

"  And  I  already  have  a  book  which  was  written  by 
several  very  plain  men,  who  took  their  degree  directly 
from  the  great  Head  of  the  church.  It  is  the  New 
Testament,  sir.  I  do  not  find  there  denunciation^  upon 
any  sect ;  but  the  requisitions  for  salvation  are  boldly 
stated  to  be  summed  up  in  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ." 

" Believe  and  be  baptized"  said  the  man,  "  and 
thou  shalt  be  saved." 

"  It  does  not  read,  however,  that  he  that  believeth 
not  and  is  not  baptized  shall  be  damned.  The 
persons  to  whom  I  have  referred  have  been  baptized, 


A    BAPTIST    LAYMAN.  5 

though  not  in  the  way  which  you  believe  to  be 
right." 

"  At  all  events,"  said  the  landlord,  "  I  am  just  as 
certain  as  I  am  of  anything  in  this  world,  that  we 
Baptists  will  receive  a  great  reward,  in  the  next  life, 
for  our  following  our  Master  into  the  river  Jordan." 

"  Then  you  must  hold  to  different  states  of  happi- 
ness hereafter  ?  " 

"  There's  one  glory  of  the  sun,  we  read  ;  —  that 
glory  will  belong  to  our  people,  while  those  who  may 
be  Christians,  but  who  have  lived  all  their  days  in 
daring  disobedience  to  the  divine  command,  will  shine 
about  like  a  star  that's  almost  gone  out.  But, 
then  there's  a  mighty  host  of  them  that  will  be  cast 
into  outer  darkness  with  other  wretched  wrong-doers. 
I  can't  say  but  all  who  have  not  been  baptized,  and 
who  know  better,  will  share  this  dreadful  fate." 

"  Perhaps  they  will,"  responded  Israel  with  a  deep 
sigh,  as  he  remembered  his  father's  note  in  the  Greek 
testament ;  "  but  I  am  rejoiced  that  it  is  not  left  for 
me  to  decide." 

"  I  have  no  doubt,"  said  the  man,  "  that  all  real 
Baptists  will  be  among  those  who,  Christ  promised,  shall 
set  on  thrones,  and  judge  the  world.  O  !  it  will  be  a 
blessed  day  ;  yes,  a  most  glorious  day,  when  all  the 
kingdoms  of  the  earth  shall  wail  at  the  triumphs  of 
the  truth  which  they  have  despised." 

Israel  had  now  finished  his  breakfast.  As  he  rose 
to  leave  the  table,  the  landlord  said  to  him,  "  The 
more  you  read  the  Bible,  the  more  you  will  see  that 
the  Baptists  are  the  only  ones  who  are  right."  In 
various  forms,  he  repeated  this  assertion  till  Israel  had 


6  AMONG    THE    BAPTISTS. 

nearly  ascended  the  stairs  which  led  to  his  room. 
"  The  bell  will  ring  again  at  half-past  ten,  and  if  you 
like,  I  will  take  you  along  and  give  you  a  seat  in  my 
pew,"  he  called  after  him. 

Israel  thanked  him,  and  disappeared. 

At  the  ringing  of  the  second  bell  for  church,  the 
landlord  found  many  things  to  engross  his  attention, 
until  it  was  nearly  time  for  the  people  to  cease  going. 

"Shall  we  not  be  late  at  church?"  asked  Israel, 
when  they  were  fairly  started,  and  had  yet  some  rods 
to  walk. 

"  All  right,  sir,"  answered  the  man,  while  he  looked 
slyly  at  his  guest.  "  You  must  know  it  isn't  every  day 
that  I  have  a  stranger  like  yourself  to  bring  with  me 
into  church." 

"  To  me  tardiness  seems  disrespectful  to  the  offi- 
ciating clergyman,  and  also  to  the  place  and  the 
sacred  object  of  our  meeting,"  said  Israel. 

"  Undoubtedly ;  but  then  our  minister  knows  me, 
and  he  knows,  too,  I  suppose,  that  I'm  one  of  his 
heaviest  payers.  '  Money  answereth  all  things '  you 
see." 

"  It  does  not  answer  a  good  conscience,  I  believe," 
said  Israel,  in  a  lower  voice. 

"  O  !  as  to  that,  '•Baptism  is  the  answering  of  a  good 
conscience,'  Paul  says.  I  attended  to  that  important 
matter,  years  ago,"  added  the  man  with  new  solemnity. 

They  gained  their  seats  in  season  to  hear  the  prayer 
after  the  singing.  Israel  called  home  his  wandering 
thoughts  as  well  as  he  could,  till  he  succeeded  in  fast- 
ening his  attention.  It  took  him  longer  to  do  this,  as, 
following  the  manner  of  those  around  him,  he  re- 


A     BAPTIST     LAYMAN.  7 

mained  in  an  upright,  sitting  posture,  with  his  eyes 
unclosed.  Unusual  unction  accompanied  this  prayer, 
and  Israel  received  it,  to  keep  with  him  ever  after. 

Not  that  it  was  always  present  in  his  memory ;  but 
its  influence  remained.  The  rain  falls  upon  the  plot 
of  ground  ;  it  dries,  and  is  seen  no  more  ;  but  a  fructi- 
fication remains,  which  shall  repeat  itself  in  endless 
growths. 

Would  you  know  the  reason  why  this  prayer  was 
remembered?  It  was  short.  It  was  glowing  with 
feeling.  It  had  color,  shape,  sweetness,  the  strength 
of  true  reverence  for  the  Unknown  God !  Not  a 
word  was  wasted  ;  not  one  misplaced.  The  minister 
had  come  to  the  attainment  of  this  Fine  Art  in  Relig- 
ion, as  a  genius  arrives  at  excellence  in  any  depart- 
ment of  effort,  by  dint  of  patient  labor.  All  true 
genius  must  have  an  inspiration.  In  this  case,  super- 
added  to  the  labor  was  the  Unspeakable  Gift. 

In  the  earlier  periods  of  his  ministerial  career,  he 
had  often  indulged  himself  in  roundly-worded  and 
excursive  prayers.  He  seemed  to  be  striving  to  obey 
the  injunction  of  the  mournful  prophet,  —  "In  the 
beginning  of  the  watches  (or  exercises)  pour  out  thy 
heart  like  water  before  the  face  of  the  Lord."  But 
he  made  a  mistake  and  poured  out  his  head.  Hence, 
much  was  as  if  spilled  on  the  ground,  and  could  never 
be  gathered  up.  What  remained  on  the  surface  was 
not  clear.  It  mirrored  neither  the  image  of  God  nor 
man.  Had  he  poured  out  his  heart,  it  would  have 
been  otherwise. 

One  day,  he  made  a  discovery,  which,  though  im- 
portant, is  generally  missed  by  men  of  his  profession. 


8  AMONG    THE     BAPTISTS. 

This  was,  that,  while  he  was  at  prayer  in  the  sanc- 
tuary, some  persons  dreamed.  The  circumstances 
attending  the  event  were  ludicrous,  but  they  entered 
his  soul  as  though  they  had  been  sublime.  He  pon- 
dered the  matter.  Then,  he  knew,  if  some  slept, 
others,  whose  temperament  forbade  this  lapse  from  the 
dignity  of  the  august  occasion,  would  "  endure  the 
hour"  by  considering  many  subjects  foreign  to  those 
in  which  he  strove  to  lead. 

There  was  an  error  somewhere.  Further  pondering 
convinced  him  of  the  difficulty,  even  as  men  learned 
by  the  ass  Nauplias  what  was  the  matter  with  their 
vines.  By  gnawing  them,  the  creature  taught  the  art 
of  pruning.  These  stupid  people  gnawed  into  his 
sensibilities,  but  they  showed  him  how  to  prune  their 
excessive  manifestation. 

After  this,  the  minister  had  no  more  trouble  with 
sleepers  while  he  prayed. 

As  Israel  listened,  his  mind  expanded  towards  the 
speaker,  and  he  felt  a  sensation  of  need.  When  one 
mind  is  attracted  by  another  human  mind,  a  want  is 
created  to  supply  a  vacuity,  —  as  a  rise  of  the  water  of 
the  sea  at  any  place,  in  what  is  called  a  tide,  produces 
a  depression  at  another.  The  attraction  of  the  infinite 
mind  can  alone  give  any  impression  of  supply.  But 
this  is  never  complete  in  the  natural  life.  Hence,  it  is 
written  —  "I  shall  be  satisfied  when  I  awake  in  thy 
likeness." 

At  present,  Israel  regarded  truth  as  a  palpable 
reality  which  he  was  about  to  grasp. 


BAPTIST  MINISTER'S  SERMON.  9 

' 

CHAPTER  II. 

SKETCH    OF   THE    BAPTIST    MINISTER'S    SERMON. 

"  MY  text  this  morning,"  announced  the  preacher, 
"  is  found  in  Isaiah,  fifty-fifth  chapter,  twelfth  and 
thirteenth  verses,  —  •  '  For  ye  shall  go  out  with  joy  and 
be  led  forth  with  peace  :  the  mountains  and  the  hills 
shall  break  forth  before  you  into  singing,  and  all  the 
trees  of  the  field  shall  clap  their  hands.  Instead  of 
the  thorn  shall  come  up  the  fir-tree,  and  instead  of  the 
brier  shall  come  up  the  myrtle  tree  :  and  it  shall  be  to 
the  Lord  for  a  name,  for  an  everlasting  sign  that  shall 
not  be  cut  off.'" 

This  sermon  had  two  general  heads. 

First  —  The  persons  to  whom  this  promise  applies. 

Second  —  -The  harmonious  relation  of  the  heart  of 
the  true  disciple  with  the  external  world. 

Growing   out   of    the   first  division  of  the  subject 


i.  The  persons  who  will  go  out  with  joy  and  be 
led  forth  with  peace  are  those  who  keep  the  divine 
commandments.  "If  ye  love  me,  keep  my  com- 
mandments." John  14:  15.  "If  ye  keep  my  com- 
mandments, ye  shall  abide  in  my  love."  John  15  : 
10.  The  Holy  Spirit,  in  his  office  of  Comforter,  abides 
with  those  who  love  God,  so  that  they  are  enabled  to 
rejoice  under  all  circumstances. 


IO  AMONG   THE    BAPTISTS. 

2.  What  are  the  divine  commandments  and  how  are 
they  kept?  The  first  sermon  which  Jesus  preached, 
after  his  preparation  by  the  temptations,  had  for  a  text 
—  Repent.  His  first  public  act  touching  himself,  as 
he  had  no  need  of  repentance,  was  baptism. 

The  word  of  John  the  Baptist  was  also  Repent  ye. 

All  need  repentance,  and  this  should  be  the  first 
work  of  the  soul  who  seeks  for  God. 

John's  next  act  of  ministry  was  the  administration 
of  the  ordinance  of  baptism.  He  baptized  Christ 
by  immersion.  Hence,  baptism  by  immersion  is  not 
less  obligatory  than  repentance.  All  other  modes  of 
baptism  are  desecrations  of  the  sacred  rite.  He  who 
said,  "  I  am  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life,"  pro- 
nounced those  who  climbed  into  the  fold  by  any  other 
way,  thieves  and  robbers. 

"  If  there  is  one  soul  in  my  congregation  to-day," 
continued  the  minister,  "  who  doubts  about  immer- 
sion being  the  scriptural  rite  of  baptism  in  profession 
of  faith,  or  who  thinks  that  another  mode  will  answer 
a  good  conscience  just  as  well  as  the  true  one,  let  me 
inquire,  in  the  words  of  another, '  if  there  is  not  improb- 
ability that  the  just,  wise,  and  merciful  Saviour  would 
enjoin  upon  His  disciples  the  observance  of  a  rite  the 
nature  of  which  could  not  be  determined  with  any  cer- 
tainty, or  at  least  not  without  great  difficulty.  With 
all  the  resources  of  the  most  copious  language  in  the 
world  at  His  disposal,  it  is  utterly  incredible  that  He 
should  have  selected,  to  designate  the  act  by  which  He 
requires  all  His  followers  to  profess  their  faith  in  Him, 
a  word  so  vague,  or  so  ambiguous,  as  to  make  it  im- 
possible for  them  to  understand  precisely  what  He 


BAPTIST  MINISTER'S  SERMON.  n 

would  have  them  do.  The  supposition  would,  in  fact, 
be  highly  dishonorable  and  very  insulting  to  Him.  If 
He  could  have  wished  to  express  His  requirement  by 
a  word  which  would  be  equally  applicable  to  several 
quite  different  acts,  such  as  spi'inkling,  pouring,  and 
immersion,  it  may  well  be  doubted  whether  He  could 
have  found  such  a  word  in  the  Greek  language  or  in 
any  other ;  but  we  are  bound  to  believe  He  could  not 
have  wished  any  such  thing.  What  we  have  to  do, 
then,  is  to  ascertain  as  exactly  as  possible  what  word 
He  would  have  used  had  He  spoken  in  the  English 
language. 

"  When  the  meaning  of  any  word  which  often 
occurs  in  the  Scriptures  is  called  in  question,  it  is  to 
be  ascertained  by  a  collection  and  comparison  of  all 
the  passages.  That  is  the  true  meaning  which  gives 
a  consistent  sense  in  all  the  various  relations  and  con- 
nections in  which  the  word  is  used.  The  scriptural 
meaning  of  the  .Greek  words  for  baptize  and  baptism 
is  that  which  best  agrees  with  all  that  is  said  about 
the  rite  in  the  New  Testament,  without  any  forced 
interpretation  or  elaborate  explanation.  That  is  the 
true  sense  of  the  words  which  naturally  and  obviously 
explains  the  expressions,  '  going  down  into  the  water,' 
'  coming  up  out  of  the  water, '  '  being  baptized  in 
water,  in  the  Jordan,  into  Christ ; '  which  shows 
that  the  abundance  of  water  in  yEnon  was  the 
reason  why  John  chose  that  place  for  the  scene  of 
his  baptism  ;  which  exhibits  the  resemblance  between 
our  baptism  and  a  burial  and  resurrection ;  which 
makes  it  pertinent  to  call  the  overwhelming  sufferings 
of  Christ  a  baptism  ;  which  accounts  for  the  fact  that 


12  AMONG    THE    BAPTISTS. 

persons  are  always  said  to  be  baptized,  the  element 
never.  If  sprinkling  meets  all  these  requirements,  that 
is  the  true  scriptural  baptism.  If  pouring  meets  all 
these  requirements,  that  is  the  true  scriptural  baptism. 
If  nothing  but  immersion  meets  all  these  requirements, 
then  immersion,  and  nothing  else,  is  the  true  scriptural 
baptism.  The  last  particular  named,  though  not  so 
commonly  noticed  as  some  of  the  others,  seems  to  us 
perfectly  decisive  of  the  whole  question.  If  baptism 
meant  sprinkling,  then  we  should  at  least  sometimes 
read  that  water  was  baptized  upon  persons.  If  bap- 
tism meant  pouring,  then  we  should  of  course  always 
read  that  water  was  baptized  upon  persons.  But  if 
baptism  means  immersion,  then  we  should  always  read 
that  persons  were  baptized  in  water.  We  never  do 
find  either  of  the  first  two  expressions  ;  we  always  do 
find  this  last  expression.  Could  the  scriptural  proof 
be  more  complete  ?  We  never  even  read,  in  the  origi- 
nal inspired  text,  that  persons  were  baptized  with 
water ;  it  is  always  in,  or  into,  the  element.  The 
preposition  is  indeed  sometimes  omitted,  but  as  no 
other  preposition  is  ever  used,  we  are  not  at  liberty  to 
supply  any  other. 

"  The  best  judges  are  not  those  who  write  contro- 
versially, on  either  side,  but  the  most  learned  and  im- 
partial lexicographers,  commentators,  historians,  and 
antiquarians,  of  all  ages,  sects,  and  nations.  And 
among  these  there  is  a  remarkable  unanimity  in  de- 
claring that  immersion  is  the  primary  meaning  of  the 
Greek  word,  and  a  very  general  agreement  in  affirm- 
ing that  it  is  the  only  meaning.  Exclude  all  partisan 
testimonies,  on  both  sides,  and  the  question  ceases  at 


BAPTIST    MINISTERS    SERMON.  13 

once  to  be  debatable.  Where  is  the  church  historian, 
of  any  scholarly  reputation,  who  disputes  that  for 
more  than  a  thousand  years  immersion  was  the  only 
regular  baptism  throughout  the  Christian  world,  other 
and  more  convenient  applications  of  water  being  al- 
lowed only  in  cases  of  sickness  or  infirmity,  and  avow- 
edly as  substitutes  for  the  primitive  rite?  Is  not  the 
uniform  and  persistent  testimony  and  practice  of  all 
to  whom  the  Greek  language  is  vernacular,  of  itself 
a  demonstration  of  the  meaning  of  the  word?  The 
Greek  language  has  been  the  common  speech  of  mil- 
lions in  every  age  since  the  New  Testament  was  writ- 
ten ;  and  all  these,  with  one  voice,  declare,  and  have 
always  declared,  that  the  word  means  only  to  im- 
merse ;  they  all  practise,  and  have  always  practised 
immersion  ;  they  all  refuse,  and  have  always  refused, 
to  admit  the  validity  of  any  baptism  but  immersion. 

"Just  as,  in  consulting  the  Scriptures,  the  true  sense 
is  that  which  harmonizes  and  reconciles  all  the  pas- 
sages which  speak  of  baptism,  so  also,  in  consulting 
the  human  authorities,  the  true  verdict  is  that  in  which 
there  is  a  general  agreement  of  competent  witnesses. 
And  immersion  is  the  only  point  in  which  the  suf- 
frages of  scholars  in  regard  to  the  meaning  of  the 
Greek  word  unite  and  are  agreed." 

(Israel  afterwards  found  these  "words  of  another"  in 
a  paper  among  the  files  of  the  organ  of  the  Baptist 
Church  in  New  England.) 

"  Now ! "  exclaimed  the  clergyman,  striking  the 
pulpit  desk  emphatically,  "I  challenge  any  one  in  the 
whole  world,  learned  or  unlearned,  to  find  a  set  of 
arguments  that  can  match  these,  which  I  have  just 
read  to  you." 


14  AMONG   THE    BAPTISTS. 

"  They  are  remarkably  clear,"  responded  Israel  to 
himself,  "  and  I  don't  see  but  I  must  submit  to  their 
practical  conclusion." 

The  speaker  now  hastened  to  the  consideration  of 
his  last  general  division,  viz  :  the  relation  of  the  mind, 
when  properly  exercised,  with  nature.  Nature  was 
but  another  name  here  for  all  the  external  world. 
Everywhere  and  under  all  circumstances,  the  willing 
and  the  obedient  eat  the  good  of  the  land,  in  their 
souls.  Examples  of  this  were  cited.  Among  the 
most  forcible  was  the  great  Baptist,  John  Bunyan. 
In  prison,  when  expecting  separation  from  his  beloved 
family  by  an  ignominious  death,  he  wrote,  "  I  have 
been  able  to  laugh  at  destruction,  and  to  fear  neither 
the  horse  nor  his  rider.  I  have  had  sweet  sights  of 
the  forgiveness  of  my,  sins  in  this  place,  and  of  my 
body  with  Jesus  in  another  world."  *  *  * 

"  I  have  often  thought,"  said  the  speaker,  "  that  the 
happiest  people  in  the  world  were  the  faithful 
Baptists ;  and  perhaps  the  brightest  of  their  earthly 
moments,  save  those  which  close  their  mortal  career, 
are  when  they  follow  their  Saviour  into  the  watery 
grave,  and  are  buried  with  Him  in  baptism.  The 
reason  of  this  is,  that  they  are  the  beloved  and  pro- 
tected of  Heaven.  The  clouds  seem  to  part  over 
their  heads,  and  we  can  almost  catch  the  words, — 
*  These  are  my  beloved  ones  in  whom  I  am  well 
pleased.'  *  *  * 

"  I  never  knew  of  the  least  physical  injury  to  come 
upon  a  subject  of  baptism  in  consequence  of  the  recep- 
tion of  the  holy  rite,  although  I  have  seen  the  fragile 
form  of  delicate  woman  moving  through  the  water 


BAPTIST  MINISTER'S  SERMON.  15 

with  piles  of  newly-cut  ice  on  either  hand,  and  beneath 
the  inclement  skies  of  midwinter,  while  the  chill  of  an 
approaching  storm  filled  all  the  air.  Yes !  that  same 
woman,  when  deep  within  the  icy  wave,  broke  forth 
in  a  melodious  strain  of  sacred  song ! 

"  All  you,"  he  concluded,  "  who  are  about  to  com- 
plete the  obedience  to  the  requirements  of  your 
Saviour,  by  the  acts  of  this  day,  will  prove  the  truth 
of  this  sublime  and  beautiful  promise  — '  For  ye  shall 
go  out  with  joy  and  be  led  forth  with  peace :  the 
mountains  and  the  hills  shall  break  forth  before  you 
into  singing,  and  all  the  trees  of  the  field  shall  clap 
their  hands.  Instead  of  the  thorn  shall  come  up  the 
fir-tree,  and  instead  of  the  brier  shall  come  up  the 
myrtle-tree :  and  it  shall  be  to  the  Lord  for  a  name, 
for  an  everlasting  sign  that  shall  not  be  cut  off.'  This 
name  is  the  true  disciple,  and  this  everlasting  sign  is 
baptism  by  immersion." 


1 6  AMONG    THE    BAPTISTS. 


CHAPTE  R  III. 

THE    BAPTISM    BY    IMMERSION. 

AT  the  close  of  the  sermon,  the  minister  announced 
that  the  ordinance  of  baptism  would  be  administered 
in  the  usual  place,  at  half-past  twelve  o'clock. 

Israel  followed  his  new  guide  out  of  the  crowded 
house.  "  We  will  make  haste,"  he  said,  "  that  we  may 
get  a  good  place  at  the  water,  for  you  to  see  and  hear." 
The  place  of  baptism  was  called  at  a  convenient  dis- 
tance from  the  church,  yet  it  required  a  brisk  walk  of 
some  ten  minutes. 

It  was  about  the  middle  of  June,  and,  but  for  the 
warmth,  one  of  the  "perfect  days"  of  the  loveliest 
period  of  the  year.  After  walking  some  distance  upon 
a  retired  street,  they  struck  off  from  the  ordinary  route 
within  a  range  of  broad  and  beautiful  pasturage,  where 
was  only  an  irregular  path  which  had  been  made  by 
the  cows  and  sheep  on  their  daily  goings  and  return- 
ings. 

Fresh  from  a  thickly  populated  place,  Israel  was 
more  than  pleased  with  the  prospect  which  was  now 
unfolding  before  him.  Afar  off  could  be  discerned 
the  soft  outline  of  the  distant  hills,  which  seemed  asleep 
in  the  purpled  haze  of  the  summer  noon.  In  nearer 
view,  here  and  there  upon  the  undulating  stretch  of 
lands,  he  discerned  the  white  farm-houses,  half  em- 


THE    BAPTISM    BY    IMMERSION.  1 7 

bosomed  in  the  abundant  foliage  of  the  trees.  These, 
likewise,  looked  slumberous,  as  if  the  Sabbath  calm 
held  them  in  a  dreamy  pause. 

They  soon  came  to  a  dilapidated  fence  of  ancient 
looking  design  in  irregular  stones,  half  hidden  by 
hedges  of  wild  roses,  blackberry  and  sweetbrier.  With- 
in this  enclosure  the  herd  had  ceased  to  graze,  and 
were  lying  down  in  the  grateful  shadows  of  several 
maple-trees  and  slender  silver  birches.  The  sheep, 
a  little  scared  at  the  intrusion,  moved  away  softly  over 
the  grass,  but  soon  stopped  and  seemed  half  satisfied. 

"  There,"  said  the  landlord,  as  they  suddenly  made 
an  angle  around  a  slight  declivity,  "  you  see  our  Crystal 
Lake,  where  we  baptize." 

Israel  looked.  He  surveyed  the  new  and  beautiful 
picture  in  a  protracted  gaze.  Somewhat  of  an  artist 
by  nature,  and  slightly  such  by  cultivation,  his  soul 
drank  in  the  scene  with  silent  delight.  Down  the  hill, 
a  little  to  the  left,  was  a  sheet  of  water  clear  as  crystal, 
and  reflecting  the  green  banks  with  the  occasional 
trees,  in  wonderful  distinctness.  A  fantastic  willow 
whose  trunk  was  wound  fast  with  a  large  grape-vine, 
had  grown  over  the  water,  so  that  its  long,  graceful 
streamers  touched  the  surface  with  every  slight  motion 
of  the  breeze.  Near  this  a  bridge  had  once  been 
started  to  span  the  narrowest  portion  of  the  water:  A 
new  road  in  another  direction  had  interrupted  the  en- 
terprise, so  that  now  there  was  only  a  picturesque 
path  built  out  a  little  way,  and  gradually  losing  its 
shining  sands  in  the  water. 

A  large  stone,  which  was  designed  as  one  of  the 
supports  of  the  railing,  the  landlord  showed  Israel  for 


1 8  AMONG    THE    BAPTISTS. 

a  resting-place,,  while  his  rotund  and  ample  figure 
served  as  a  shelter  from  the  surges  of  the  rapidly  in- 
creasing crowd  of  spectators.  From  this  point  a  clear 
view  of  the  baptism  was  obtainable. 

Israel  thanked  his  guide,  and  folding  his  arms, 
yielded  to  the  tide  of  emotion  which  began  to  rise  in 
his  soul. 

Although  the  groups  of  men,  women,  and  children 
were  plentiful  on  the  bank  for  some  distance,  and  all 
along  the  lower  paths  about  the  water,  they  showed  a 
respectful  regard  for  the  occasion,  by  a  quiet  demeanor 
and  a  stillness  broken  only  by  low  murmurs  of  conver- 
sation ;  or  away  on  the  farther  bank,  by  the  fall  of  a 
pebble  from  the  hand  of  some  curiously  disposed 
urchin.  But  even  these  ceased,  when  the  last  of  the 
procession  made  its  appearance  along  the  path  which 
led  to  the  shore,  near  the  position  occupied  by 
Israel. 

"  Here  come  the  minister  and  the  candidates,  with 
the  deacons  and  a  few  other  members  of  the  church," 
whispered  the  landlord. 

The  minister  and  each  of  the  candidates,  who  were 
nineteen  in  number,  wore  a  long  black  robe,  in  the 
lower  hem  of  which  were  small  pieces  of  lead.  They 
walked  in  couples,  the  men  leading.  The  minister 
stood  a  little  apart  on  the  bank,  with  his  back  to  the 
water,  and  uncovering  his  head  (which  example  was 
followed  by  all  the  male  members  of  the  church 
present),  he  began  to  read  aloud  from  a  hymn-book. 
After  which  many  voices  sang  the  hymn. 

The  sound  of  plaintive  song  upon  the  water  is  ever 
tenderly  true  to  the  highest  impulses  of  our  souls.  As 


THE    BAPTISM    BY    IMMERSION.  19 

we  listen,  we  hear  more  than  the  human  strain  ;  a 
legend  of  the  angels  falls  from  Heaven,  and  dissolves 
our  ordinary  thought  into  a  tenuity  of  awe.  Then,  there 
are  pictures.  We  seem  nearer  the  eternal  realities  than 
we  were  a  moment  before  this  singing,  by  years  of 
time.  We  wonder  that  our  hope  paints  not  the 
roughness  of  everyday  life  with  an  immortal  splendor  ; 
for  the  ethers,  in  the  calm  sky  above  us,  seem  strangely 
transparent.  Almost  we  pierce  the  veil. 

Israel  heard  this  sacred  melody,  while  his  eyes 
rested  upon  the  clear  water  which  nearly  touched  his 
feet  —  heard  this  song  going  up  from  full  and  conse- 
crated hearts —  and  he  prayed.  Unconsciously,  he 
said  in  his  heart,  "  Mother !  help  thy  erring,  strug- 
gling boy  to  come  the  right  way  to  thee,  who  art  now 
in  the  presence  of  the  Infinite  Christ !  " 

The  mother  whom  he  called  dead  was  near  in  his 
thought,  and  he  felt  that  he  had  but  to  put  forth  his 
hand,  to  touch  her  white  robe.  He  heard  not  the 
prayer  which  followed  the  singing,  nor  did  he  hear 
any  of  the  remarks  upon  the  nature  and  obligation  of 
the  ordinance  that  came  after  the  prayer. 

A  moment  there  was  a  perfect  silence.  This 
recalled  Israel,  and  he  saw  the  minister  first  go  down 
alone  into  the  water,  then  return,  take  one  of  the  men 
by  the  hand,  and  then  again  slowly  walk  into  the  water. 
As  they  went,  the  clear,  impressive  voice  of  the  min- 
ister spoke:  "These  were  the  words  of  the  Lord  — 
'  Whosoever  shall  confess  me  before  men,  him  shall 
the  Son  of  Man  also  confess  before  the  angels  of  God.' 
And  thus  said  one  of  his  disciples  — '  See,  here  is 
water,  what  doth  hinder?  If  thou  believest  with  all 
thine  heart,  thou  mayest  be  baptized.'  " 


2O  AMONG    THE    BAPTISTS. 

When  they  had  gone  into  the  water  to  the  usual 
depth,  they  stopped  ;  then  placing  himself,  on  the  left 
of  the  candidate,  the  minister  said, — 

"  I  baptize  you  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of 
the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,"  meanwhile  gently 
drawing  him  backward  beneath  the  water,  and  bring- 
ing him  up  again,  then  saying  "  Amen."  As  soon  as 
this  was  done,  the  choir  on  the  bank  commenced  to 
sing :  — 

"  Sacred  spirit,  breathing  o'er  us, 

Thy  sweet  influence  may  we  know; 
Open  paths  of  light  before  us, 
And  thy  peace  on  us  bestow. 
By  thee  guided, 
Up  to  glory  may  we  go." 

Israel  observed  that  the  intelligent  and  tranquil  face 
of  the  baptized  person  wore  an  expression  of  devout 
elevation,  as  though  the  conscious  seal  of  divine 
approbation  rested  on  him.  Something  of  this  ex- 
pression was  apparent  on  each  of  the  other  persons 
who  received  the  ordinance.  Especially  did  the  faces 
of  the  women  sweetly  mirror  the  repose  of  satisfac- 
tion which  seemed  to  possess  their  souls.  Some  of 
these  were  quite  young,  and  as  the  choir  sung,  — 

"  Down  to  the  hallowed  grave  we  go, 

Obedient  to  thy  word ; 
Tis  thus  the  world  around  shall  know 

We  're  buried  with  the  Lord  : 
'Tis  thus  we  bid  its  pomps  adieu, 

And  boldly  venture  in ; 
O  may  we  rise  to  life  anew, 

And  only  die  to  sin ; " 


THE     BAPTISM    BY    IMMERSION.  21 

Israel  wondered  if  their  coming  lives  would  verify 
this  sublime  prophecy.  The  reflecting  mind  cannot 
shut  out  these  unbidden  speculations,  even  in  the  most 
solemn  moments  of  experience.  But  the  disciplined 
spirit  remembers  the  words,  "  Charity  never  faileth," 
and  is  hushed.  The  young  man  did  not  know  by 
word  or  life  this  beautiful  and  holy  mystery  of 
Christian  charity  or  love  ;  therefore  he  thought  many 
unquiet  things  at  the  suggestion  of  the  Adversary,  who 
is  always  present  among  the  gatherings  of  the  sons  of 
God. 

When  the  last  one  had  received  the  administration 
of  the  ordinance,  and  was  coming  up  out  of  the  water, 
these  words  were  sung  with  an  impressiveness  which 
moved  all  hearts  :  — 

"  "Pis  done ;  the  great  transaction's  done ; 

I  am  my  Lord's  and  he  is  mine : 
He  drew  me  and  I  followed  on, 
Rejoiced  to  own  the  call  divine. 

High  heaven,  that  hears  the  solemn  vow, 
That  vow  renewed  shall  daily  hear, 

Till  in  life's  latest  hour  I  bow, 

And  bless  in  death  a  bond  so  dear." 

"  Lord !  it  is  done  as  thou  hast  commanded,  and 
yet  there  is  room  !  "  exclaimed  the  minister.  He  then 
closed  the  exercises  with  a  short  prayer  and  the  bene- 
diction. 


22  AMONG   THE    BAPTISTS. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

RESTRICTED    COMMUNION. 

IN  the  afternoon,  the  pastor  of  the  church  was  as- 
sisted by  another  minister  of  his  own  denomination, 
whom  he  introduced  to  the  audience  as  the  Reverend 
Doctor  Elias  of  the  next  city.  It  appeai'ed  afterwards 
that  he  had  been  invited  to  preach  on  that  occasion,  in 
order  to  effectually  remove  certain  conscientious  scru- 
ples of  some  of  the  leading  Baptists  of  that  church,  in 
regard  to  the  conditions  of  reception  to  Christian  fel- 
lowship at  the  Lord's  Supper. 

This  man  had  a  concrete  expression  upon  his  coun- 
tenance, as  though  fixed  in  the  long-continued  habit  of 
close  investigation  of  abstract  subjects  and  peculiar 
persons.  But  in  all  denominations,  persons  who  study 
much  upon  one  subject  and  upon  one  point  of  that 
subject  are  inclined  to  wear  this  look.  One  of  its  pe- 
culiarities is,  that  it  comprehends  objects  in  c,n  oppo- 
site position  from  the  reality.  This  is  not  unlike  the 
operation  of  the  burning-glass.  All  the  sun's  rays 
which  fall  on  its  surface  are  collected  by  the  refraction 
of  the  glass  into  a  single  point.  Whatever  the  object 
exposed  to  such  a  glass,  it  presents  the  image  of  it 
instead  of  the  object  itself.  And  this  image  is  invert- 
ed. 

The  theme  of  Doctor  Elias,  on  this  occasion,  was 


RESTRICTED    COMMUNION.  2$ 

based  upon  the  words  found  in  Colossians  1 1  :  8. 
"  Beware  lest  any  man  spoil  you  .  ."  .  after  the  tra- 
dition of  men,  after  the  rudiments  of  the  world,  and 
not  after  Christ."  Also,  Hebrews  13  :  10.  "We  have 
an  altar,  whereof  they  have  no  right  to  eat  which  serve 
the  tabernacle." 

•The  tradition  o'f  men  and  rudiments  of  the  world 
were  infant  baptism  and  the  baptism  of  believers  by 
aspersion.  Those  who  served  the  tabernacle,  that  is 
the  Jewish  rites  in  this  manner,  had  no  right  to  eat  at 
the  altar  which  was  commemorative  of  Christ's  suffer- 
ings and  death  ;  they  were  not  after  him,  in  their  open 
disobedience  to  his  commands  and  indifference  to  his 
example.  We  ought,  therefore,  to  go  not  after  them, 
nor  receive  them  to  our  Christian  fellowship.  The 
scriptural  terms  of  admission  of  persons  to  the  Lord's 
Supper  were  :  — 

First  —  Confession  of  faith  in  Christ  as  their  Saviour 
from  the  consequences  of  sin. 

Second — The  public  profession  of  their  faith  by 
baptism,  (which  signified  immersion,  no  other  mode 
of  receiving  this  ordinance  being  admitted  to  be  bap- 
tism.) 

Third —  Faithful  membership  of  a  Baptist  Church. 

After  the  consideration  of  the  first  division  of  the 
subject,  much  in  the  way  that  is  usual  for  expounders 
of  the  Scripture  in  what  are  called  Calvinistic  churches, 
Dr.  Elias  proceeded  to  expend  the  force  of  his  argu- 
ment upon  the  subject  commonly  called  Close  Com- 
munion. 

In  the  opening  and  unfolding  of  this  portion  of  his 
theme,  the  preacher  clearly  acquitted  himself  of  any 


24  AMONG   THE    BAPTISTS. 

violation  of  the  first  dictum  in  the  formal  logical  rules 
of  controversy,  viz  :  "  The  terms  in  which  the  question 
in  debate  is  expressed,  and  the  precise  point  at  issue, 
should  be  so  clearly  defined,  that  there  could  be  no 
misunderstanding  respecting  them." 

The  "  precise  point"  with  the  Doctor  was,  —  That 
Baptist  believers,  who  alone  are  of  Christ,  should  com- 
mune 07z/ywith  Baptist  believers.  His  terms  were  cut 
clean  with  a  sharp  knife  ;  his  point  as  plain  to  be  seen 
as  that  of  the  letter  V  made  by  certain  wild  birds  in 
their  semi-annual  migrations.  But  like  this  shape  of 
the  bird-flight,  there  appeared  some  disjointed  links  in 
his  chain  of  argument.  All  who  defend  this  doctrine 
do  not  openly  take  the  position  that  believers  baptized 
by  immersion  are  alone  of  Christ ;  they  admit  that 
others  may  be  of  Him,  though  an  awkward  ar- 
rangement is  necessarily  effected  with  being  of  Christ, 
and  living  in  what  they  think  is  open  disobedience  to 
his  commands  respecting  baptism. 

This  man,  however,  acknowledged  no  such  difficulty, 
since  he  maintained  that  there  are  three  that  bear 
witness  of  Christ  on  earth,  "  the  spirit,  and  the  water, 
and  the  blood  :  and  these  three  agree  in  one."  Faith 
in  Christ  in  respect  to  the  water  was  equally  essential 
as  faith  in  Him  in  respect  to  the  spirit  and  the  blood  ; 
and  he  that  believeth  not  God,  hath  made  Him  a  liar, 
because  he  believeth  not  the  record  that  God  gave  of 
his  Son.  The  eternal  life  contained  in  this  record 
included  baptism  as  much  as  repentance  and  faith  in 
the  atoning  blood.  Therefore  he  that  rejected  one  as 
it  stood  in  God's  own  record,  rejected  all.  Such 
persons  deserved  rejection  by  all  who,  possessed  the 
threefold  witness  in  themselves. 


RESTRICTED    COMMUNION.  2$ 

To  substantiate  this  ground-position  he  asserted  that 
none  but  Baptists  should  be  admitted  to  the  sacrament 
of  the  Lord's  Supper. 

1.  From  the  nature  of  the  ordinance. 

One  of  the  most  ancient  terms  given  to  this  sacra- 
ment was  eucharist,  from  a  Greek  word,  signifying  a 
giving  of  thanks.  The  object  of  this  act  of  thanks- 
giving was  the  death  of  Christ.  It  was  sometimes 
called  the  Sacrifice  among  the  primitive  Christians, 
because  it  took  the  place  of  the  paschal  lamb,  which 
clearly  foreshadowed  the  atonement  made  by  the  divine 
sacrifice. 

(Here  reflected  Israel.  If  the  institution  of  the 
Lord's  Supper  took  the  place  of  the  Jewish  passover, 
why  may  it  not  be  true  that  baptism  in  like  manner 
succeeded  the  rite  of  circumcision  ?) 

"  This  shows,"  continued  the  Doctor,  "  that  the  sacra- 
ment of  the  Lord's  Supper  is  a  commemoration  of  the 
sufferings  and  death  of  Christ,  by  those  who  have 
obediently  entered  His  visible  church,  and  so  have  a 
right  to  the  altar." 

2.  From  the  express    teachings  of  Scripture.      "I 
would  they  were  even   cut  off  which  trouble  you," 
writes  Paul  to  the  Galatians.      Again  to  Titus  he  says, 
"  A  man  that  is  a  heretic,  after  the  first  and  second 
admonition  reject."     Any  opinion  that  is  contrary  to 
the  teaching  of  the  Bible  is  heresy ;  the  term  heretic 
signifies  also  one  who  causes  division  or  schism  in  the 
church.     Those  who  hold  erroneous  opinions  are  sure 
to  endeavor  to  teach  them  to  others ;  hence  schism. 
The   opposers  of  baptism    (he   signified   immersion) 
were  schismatics  or  heretics. 


26  AMONG    THE    BAPTISTS. 

"  Now  I  beseech  you,  brethren,  mark  them  which 
cause  divisions  and  offences,  contrary  to  the  doctrine 
which  ye  have  learned,  and  avoid  them."  Rom.  16 : 
17.  All  who  do  not  hold  to  the  Baptist  or  Bible 
doctrines  have  departed  from  the  faith,  and  so  cause 
divisions  and  offences,  and,  as  one  has  said,  "  they  are 
the  party  who  are  responsible  for  all  the  divisions  re- 
sulting from  that  departure." 

"  Can  two  walk  together  except  they  be  agreed." 
Amos  3:3. 

"Now  I  beseech  you,  brethren,  by  the  name  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  ye  all  speak  the  same  thing, 
and  that  there  be  no  division  among  you  ;  but  that  ye 
be  perfectly  joined  together  in  the  same  mind,  and  in 
the  same  judgment.  .  .  .  Is  Christ  divided?  "  i  Cor. 
i  :  10,  13. 

"I  here  quote,"  said  the  speaker,  "from  an  able 
exposition  of  our  views  upon  this  important  sub- 
ject. *  '  It  is  not  difficult  to  see  how  they  can  live  in 
peace  together  in  the  same  community  (Baptists  and 
Paedobaptists) ,  and  mutually  esteem  and  love  each 
other,  and  have  much  cordial  and  delightful  commu- 
nion and  co-operation,  while  they  abide  in  separate 
ecclesiastical  organizations,  and  each  understands  the 
other's  liberty,  and  respects  the  other's  conscience, 
and  expects  the  other  to  maintain  and  propagate  his 
peculiar  views  by  all  honorable  and  Christian  meth- 

*  Scriptural  Terms  of  Admission  to  The  Lord's  Supper, 
By  Rev.  A.  N.  Arnold,  D.  D. 

It  would  appear  that  this  clergyman  was  otherwise  partially 
indebted  to  the  same  authority  in  this  discourse,  —  a  custom 
not  peculiar  to  any  denomination  of  preachers. 


RESTRICTED    COMMUNION.  2>J 

ods  ;  though  even  then  the  difference  that  requires  their 
separation  must  seem  to  both  parties  a  serious  evil ;  but 
how  they  are  to  live  and  work  harmoniously  together 
in  one  church  fellowship,  and  under  one  church  law, 
is  in  theory  a  mystery  past  finding  out,  and  in  practice 
certainly  a  problem  yet  unsolved.  The  things  about 
which  they  differ  are  matters  that  particularly  and 
vitally  affect  church  relations.  If  they  are  peaceably 
united  in  those  relations,  it  can  only  be  on  the  con- 
dition that  one  of  the  parties  shall  consent  to  see, 
without  protest,  what  they  regard  as  a  pernicious 
human  invention,  constantly  performed  in  the  church 
as  a  divine  rite  ;  and  that  the  other  party  shall  consent 
to  see,  without  protest,  what  they  regard  as  a  sacred 
parental  duty,  systematically  neglected.  .  .  .  Happily 
there  is  too  much  of  conscience  in  both  parties  to 
permit  a  peaceable  and  lasting  union  on  such  unchris- 
tian terms.  Yes,  happily ;  for  so  long  as  our  present 
difference  of  views  continues,  it  would  be  a  disgrace 
to  us  both  if  we  could  be  cordially  united  in  church 
relations.' " 

"  Buy  the  truth  and  sell  it  not."  Prov.  23  :  23.  If 
we  have  bought  the  truth  at  the  price  of  Christ's  own 
blood,  we  may  not  sell  it  for  a  mess  of  pottage,  like 
the  Jewish  rite  of  circumcision,  which  tradition  and 
worldly  rudiment  is  perpetuated  in  the  rite  of  infant 
sprinkling. 

"  Whatsoever  is  not  of  faith,  is  sin."  Rom.  14 :  23. 
If  we  have  not  fellowship  of  faith  with  others,  an  attempt 
to  establish  church  fellowship  is  a  violation  of  right. 
"  Endeavor  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond 
of  peace.  There  is  one  body  and  one  Spirit,  even  as 


28  AMONG    THE    BAPTISTS. 

ye  are  called  in  one  hope  of  your  calling ;  one  Lord, 
one  faith,  one  baptism,  one  God  and  Father  of  all." 
Eph.  4  :  5. 

It  is  shown  what  are  this  faith  and  this  baptism, 
inasmuch  as  the  Lord  in  his  commission  to  his  disci- 
ples, associates  teaching  with  baptism,  and  confines 
the  reception  of  baptism  to  those  who  were  so 
instructed.  This  excludes  those  who  are  sprinkled  in 
infancy.  The  exclusion  of  infant  membership  of  his 
church  is  also  apparent  •  from  his  instruction  to  Nico- 
demus,  that  the  new  birth  of  the  Spirit  was  indispen- 
sable. All  his  teachings  clearly  pointed  to  a  spiritual 
kingdom  on  earth,  and  bore  no  resemblance  to  that  in 
which  parents  and  children,  in  the  united  church  and 
state,  composed  the  Jewish  theocracy. 

"  Finally,"  said  the  speaker,  "  the  utter  futility  of 
any  attempt  at  church  fraternization  with  other  bodies 
called  evangelical,  is  made  apparent,  when  we  con- 
sider that  such  a  step  would  at  once  annul  our  influ- 
ence against  specious  errors  of  faith  and  practice,  and 
so  effectually  destroy  our  barriers,  that  there  would 
appear  no  need  of  the  perpetuation  of  Baptist 
Churches  as  separate  ecclesiastical  organizations." 

("  Othello's  occupation  would  be  gone,"  irreverently 
thought  Israel  at  this  juncture.) 

"And,  my  beloved  brethren,  if  any  of  you  labor 
under  trouble  respecting  the  inconsistency  of  close 
communion  on  earth  and  free  communion  in  Heaven, 
banish  the  burden  by  the  assurance  that  if  you  keep 
the  ordinances  as  they  were  delivered  unto  you, 
(r  Cor.  ii  :  2,)  you  shall  have  praise  in  that  great  day 
when  every  man's  work  shall  be  manifest,  while  he 


RESTRICTED    COMMUNION.  29 

that  knew  his  master's  will  and  did  it  not,  shall  be 
beaten  with  many  stripes." 

("  He  believes  in  purgatory,"  said  Israel.) 

"  No,  my  brethren,  you  will  not  be  asked  to 
commune  with  the  Psedobaptists  in  Heaven !  At 
the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb  and  his  church 
there,  none  will  be  admitted  who  have  not  on  the 
wedding-garment.  Or,  if  we  admit  that  Paedobaptists 
will  go  to  Heaven,  we  reply  to  the  charge  against  us 
of  inconsistency  here,  that  we  have  nothing  to  do 
with  the  institutes  and  policy  of  that  pure  and  perfect 
world.  We  leave  such  adjustments  to  Him  who  is 
Lord  of  the  heavens  and  the  earth.  It  is  enough  for 
each  one  here  to  see  to  it  that  he  walks  in  the  strait 
and  narrow  way ;  that  he  is  really  after  Christ  and 
not  of  false  prophets,  and  that  he  departs  not  after 
vain  traditions. 

"  Can  each  of  you  within  the  sound  of  my  voice,  from 
your  inmost  heart,  say,  '  I  am  after  Christ,  and  I  am 
willing  to  show  my  discipleship  at  His  altar,  by  keep- 
ing His  commandments  and  following  his  example  ? ' 
And  does  He  say,  '  Thou  art  mine,  and  thou  hast  a 
right  to  eat  at  my  altar  ? ' ' 

The  foregoing  is  the  substance  of  what  Israel  re- 
membered of  this  sermon  ;  but  here  is  not  half  of  the 
kernel  which  Dr.  Elias  found  within  the  shell  of  his 
text. 

At  the  conclusion  of  this  discourse  the  persons  who 
that  day  had  been  baptized,  with  one  or  two  others 
recommended  from  a  sister  church,  came  forward  in 
the  aisle  near  the  pulpit,  and  received  from  the  pastor 
the  right  hand  of  fellowship  of  that  church.  In  this 


30  AMONG   THE    BAPTISTS. 

act,  among  other  things  specified,  the  mutual  watch- 
care  of  the  church  and  the  new  members  was  severally 
promised. 

(Israel  wondered  if  this  watchcare  extended  from 
the  church  to  derelictions  which  are  covered  with 
wealth,  real  or  reputed.) 

Singing  and  prayer  succeeded.  An  invitation  to 
"  members  of  sister  churches  in  good  and  regular 
standing  "  to  partake  of  the  Lord's  Supper  (which  was 
about  to  be  celebrated)  was  extended,  and  the  con- 
gregation was  dismissed. 


CONVERSATION   WITH    A   BAPTIST    DIVINE.          31 


CHAPTER  V. 

CONVERSATION   WITH    A   BAPTIST    DIVINE. 

THE  next  morning,  Israel  took  the  same  train  of 
cars  as  did  the  Reverend  Doctor  Elias.  Owing  to  a 
slight  detention,  they  were  at  the  depot  a  half  hour 
together.  Apparently  together,  for  Dr.  Elias  was 
alone  among  strangers  in  public  places  like  a  depot  — 
except  on  rare  occasions.  His  thought  went  after  no 
one,  -because  it  was  not  worth  while ;  no  one  went 
after  him,  for  it  would  seem  to  cost  too  much. 

A  rare  occasion,  however,  now  transpired.  While 
he  waited,  like  a  statue  prisoned  in  the  tower  of 
Pharos,  Israel  beheld  the  august  man,  and  longed  to 
look  into  him  as  in  a  mirror,  not  for  the  gratification 
of  an  aimless  curiosity,  but  to  see  the  reflection  of 
himself,  or  rather  his  thought  with  the  spectre  of  this 
man's  thought  just  behind  it,  that  he  might  gauge, 
compare,  deduce,  possibly  come  to  a  conclusion.  But 
the  idea  appalled  him.  At  the  very  moment  when  he 
sighed  that  there  were  no  self-moving  seats  which 
Would  place  him  at  the  side  of  the  profound  clergy- 
man, as  Homer  says  Vulcan  had  constructed  for  the 
gods  in  council,  his  eye  fell  upon  an  object  lying  upon 
the  solid  gravel  near  the  lumbering  vehicle  that  had 
brought  the  clergyman  and  himself,  together  with  an 
old  lady  and  two  little  girls,  to  the  station.  At  first  he 


32  AMONG   THE    BAPTISTS. 

• 

thought  it  was  a  pocket  book,  dropped  by  some  one 
of  his  fellow  travellers ;  but  it  proved  to  be  more 
valuable  than  any  pocket  book.  On  opening  the 
shining  morocco  cover,  Israel  descried  something  which 
impressed  him  as  much  as  though  he  had  found  a 
sword  made  by  Azalzel. 

It  was  the  manuscript  of  the  sermon  which  he  had 
heard  yesterday  from  Dr.  Elias.  It  contained  a  sword 
of  the  Spirit.  His  first  impulse  was  to  keep  it  under 
a  compulsory  loan,  until  he  had  read  it  at  his  leisure. 
For  the  moment  he  was  discretive,  departing  from  his 
habitual  mood ;  but  remembering  himself,  he  ap- 
proached the  reverend  gentleman,  and,  slightly  touch- 
ing his  hat,  said  : 

"  Allow  me,  sir,  to  restore  what  I  think  is.  your 
property." 

Dr.  Elias  took  the  book  with  some  surprise,  reply- 
ing rather  awkwardly,  "  Yes,  it  is  mine.  How  came 
you  with  it?  I  thought  I  had  it  with  me." 

Israel  told  him  how  he  had  found  it,  adding  after  a 
pause,  "  I  heard  the  sermon  yesterday,  and  I  was 
tempted  to  keep  it  long  enough  for  a  review." 

"  Ah,"  said  Dr.  Elias,  with  a  wan  smile,  "  are 
you  a  resident  of  this  place?" 

"  No,  sir,  I  am  withoujt  a  home  either  in  the  world 
or  the  church." 

The  keen,  searching  eye  of  the  clergyman  now 
rested  fully  upon  Israel,  while  he  continued:  "The 
words  of  Jesus  were,  '  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come 
unto  me  and  drink.'  " 

•  Israel  struck  straight  into  his  train  of  thought,  and 
answered  in  a  low,  reverent  voice,  "Where  shall  I 
find  him?" 


CONVERSATION    WITH    A    BAPTIST    DIVINE.         33 

"  With  those  disciples  who  do  his  will.  In  your 
own  heart,  also,  if  you  are  one  of  these." 

"  Who  are  those  that  do  his  will?  " 

"  They  who  believe,  and,"  he  added  slowly,  "  who 
are  baptized." 

"  I  have  thought  somewhat  of  these  things,"  pro- 
ceeded Israel,  "  but  they  are  not  clear.  I  would  take 
the  right  way,  did  I  but  know  it." 

"You  say  you  heard  me  yesterday.  What  did  I 
preach  that  you  could  not  understand  ?  "  now  asked  the 
doctor. 

"Thank  you  for  the  opportunity  to  state  some  of 
the  difficulties,  sir.  And  yet,  they  are  not  sufficiently 
arranged  in  my  memory  to  give  in  a  manner  satis- 
factory to  myself." 

"  Never  mind  that,"  said  the  divine,  waving  his 
gloved  hand.  "What  is  one  of  the  difficulties?" 

"  It  occurred  to  me,  when  you  spoke  of  the  Lord's 
Supper  being  a  continuation  of  the  feast  of  the  pas- 
chal lamb,  that  infant  baptism  might  also  be  derived 
from  the  rite  of  circumcision." 

"  It  might,  did  not  a  difficulty  arise  when  we 
remember  that  only  males  ivere  the  subjects  of  this 
rite.  You  will  find  in  the  fifteenth  chapter  of  the 
Acts,  that  when  there  was  a  dissension  among  the 
people  touching  circumcision,  the  apostles  abrogated 
the  rite,  but  made  no  mention  of  baptism  in  any 
form." 

"  If  I  remember  rightly,"  continued  Israel,  "  in  the 
following  chapter,  it  says  that  Lydia  was  baptized 
and  her  household.  It  appears  that  the  Lord  opened 
her  heart  to  believe  the  teaching  of  the  apostles,  but 


34  AMONG    THE    BAPTISTS. 

nothing  is  said  of  her  household,  only  that  they  were 
baptized." 

"  Lydia,"  said  Dr.  Elias,  emphatically,  "  was  one 
of  a  number  of  women  who  made  and  sold  garments 
of  a  purple  color  much  valued  in  that  time.  Had  she 
been  a  wife  and  mother,  some  allusion  would  have 
been  made  to  her  husband  and  children." 

"  But  '  her  household '  implies  the  children.  She 
might  have  been  a  widow,"  persisted  Israel. 

"You  will  observe  in  the  verse  preceding  the  state- 
ment of  her  conversion  and  the  baptism,  that  it  reads, 
'  And  on  the  Sabbath  we  went  out  of  the  city  by  the 
river  side,  where  prayer  was  wont  to  be  made.'  This 
river  was  the  Strymon,  and  the  place  might  be  trans- 
lated a  '  proseuche,'  which  was  a  place  enclosed  with 
stones  in  a  grove  or  under  a  tree,  where  prayer  was 
allowed  by  law.  '  And  we  sat  down,'  the  text  reads, 
'  and  spake  unto  the  women  which  resorted  thither.' 
These  women  were  probably  the  members  of  Lydia's 
household,  and  assisted  her  in  her  occupation.  The 
brethren  also  met  there,  as  we  find  in  the  fortieth 
verse." 

Israel  was  silent. 

"  You  will  further  notice  they  were  by  the  river's 
side,  which  adds  strength  to  the  supposition  of  immer- 
sion," the  Doctor  continued. 

"  It  seems  to  me,"  said  Israel,  after  a  short  pause 
in  the  conversation,  "  from  what  you  said  in  your  ser- 
mon, of  Christ's  kingdom  being  a  spiritual  one  on 
earth,  that  baptism  should  be  held  in  such  a  spiritual 
sense,  as  a  sign  of  a  change  in  the  heart  which  may  be 
called  miraculous,  that  the  mode  of  its  administration 


CONVERSATION   WITH    A    BAPTIST    DIVINE.         35 

may  be  regarded  of  minor  importance.  The  thing 
signified  is  the  event  rather  than  the  sign,  so  that  per- 
sons may  consult  their  choice  and  convenience  in  the 
manner  of  being  baptized.  I  suppose  that  the  Hysto- 
pedes  or  Eunomians,  who  baptized  in  the  manner  in- 
dicated by  their  name,  were  just  as  sincere  as  the 
Valentinians,  who  used  oil  with  their  water  in  baptism  ; 
and  these,  too,  were  as  sincere  as  the  Baptists  of  to-day. 
They  all  signify  a  spiritual  birth  into  the  new  spiritual 
life,  as  I  apprehend." 

"  We  have  no  right,"  here  spoke  Dr.  Elias  very 
gravely,  "  to  follow  vain  traditions  and  the  rudiments 
of  the  world.  Our  pattern  is  Christ.  He  was  bap- 
tized in  the  river  in  the  manner  of  immersion.  '  See,' 
said  God  to  Moses,  '  that  thou  doest  all  things  after  the 
pattern  showed  thee  in  the  mount.' " 

"  Excuse  me,  sir,"  answered  Israel,  "  but  I  am 
reminded  by  your  allusion  to  Moses  and  his  pattern, 
that  when  he  had  spoken  to  all  the  people  according 
to  the  law,  he  took  the  blood  of  calves  and  of  goats, 
with  water,  and  scarlet  wool,  and  hyssops,  and 
sprinkled  both  the  book  and  all  the  people,  saying, 
'  This  is  the  blood  of  the  testament  which  God  hath 
enjoined  unto  you.' " 

"  That  was  typical  of  the  sacrifice  of  Christ  which 
was  to  be  offered  to  bear  the  sins  of  many  —  a  shadow 
of  good  things  to  come,"  answered  the  doctor. 

"  Yes  sir,  a  figure  of  the  true,  as  it  is  expressed  in 
Hebrews,  and,  as  I  think  also,  a  true  figure." 

"  It  was  the  first  testament  dedicated  with  blood, 
signifying  the  new  testament  of  the  Great  Atoning 
Sacrifice." 


36  AMONG    THE    BAPTISTS. 

"  A  testament  is  without  force  except  the  testator 
be  dead.  If  the  thing  signified  was  perfected  only 
after  the  event,  the  sign  was  likewise  equally  sealed  at 
that  time.  Hence,  if  the  blood  and  the  water  were 
transubstantiated,  or  to  use  a  less  objectionable  word, 
transmitted  in  the  great  events  of  the  life  of  our  Lord, 
why  may  we  not  believe  that  the  manner  of  applying 
it  by  sprinkling  from  the  hyssop  and  the  scarlet  wool, 
was  none  the  less  given  among  the  pattern  of  things 
showed  in  the  mount?" 

"Simply  because  Christ  was  baptized,  not  sprin- 
kled ;  and  he  left  an  express  command  touching  this 
ordinance." 

"  But  may  not  some  of  his  commandments  require 
modification  for  different  persons  and  different  places 
of  the  world?  For  instance,  in  a  climate  like  ours, 
would  it  not  be  agreeable  to  him  to  practise  a  mode 
of  baptism  less  inconvenient  than  immersion  in  a 
river  or  other  body  of  water  ?  " 

"  Our  baptisteries  which  we  use  meet  all  the  de- 
mands of  this  exigency.  I  have  one  in  my  own 
church  in  the  city,"  said  the  doctor. 

"  It  strikes  me,"  observed  Israel  abstractedly,  "that 
when  you  modify  the  pattern  of  Christ  so  far  as  to  use 
a  large  bowl  in  the  church  for  baptisms,  there  is  not 
a  very  long  step  to  the  small  one.  Pardon !  but  I 
can't  help  thinking  of  the  strain  at  a  gnat  and  the 
swallowing  of  a  camel." 

"  And  I  am  reminded  of  the  words  '  If  thine  eye  be 
evil,  thy  whole  body  shall  be  full  of  darkness,' " 
returned  the  doctor. 

"  Baptism  as  I  saw  it  administered  yesterday,"  con- 


CONVERSATION    WITH    A     BAPTIST    DIVINE.          37 

tinned  Israel,  "  is  a  most  impressive  spectacle  to  me. 
That,  truly,  seems  like  following  Christ ;  but  a  baptism 
in  a  baptistery  would  be  to  me  little  short  of  profana- 
tion of  the  beautiful  and  holy  Scriptural  rite.  Besides, 
it  violates  the  law  of  fitness.  It  is  inelegant  and  not 
cleanly." 

"  Not  at  all,"  said  Dr.  Elias,  moving  uneasily,  and 
finally  looking  anxiously  for  the  arrival  of  the  train  ; 
"  baptisteries  are  of  great  antiquity ;  as  early  as  the 
time  of  Clovis,  we  read  of  them.  They  serve  most 
forcibly  to  illustrate  our  willingness  to  follow  the  ex- 
ample and  commands  of  Christ  respecting  immer- 
sion." 

"  I  know  they  have  antiquity  in  their  support,  but  I 
thought  that  '  tradition '  and  the  '  rudiments '  of  the 
world  were  of  no  account  against  the  example  of 
Christ,  however  respectable  or  ancient  they  may 
appear,"  quietly  answered  the  youth. 

"  Our  baptisteries,"  renewed  the  doctor,  while  he 
consulted  his  watch,  "  do  not  interfere  with  immersion. 
We  challenge  the  world  to  show  our  disobedience  to 
the  commands  of  our  Saviour." 

"  I  remember,"  answered  Israel,  "  that  Christ  left 
on  record  this  command  :  '  If  I  then,  your  Lord  and 
Master,  have  washed  your  feet,  ye  also  ought  to  wash 
one  another's  feet.'  Why  are  you  not  equally  obedient 
in  this  regard  ?  " 

"  That  act,"  said  the  doctor,  "  was  symbolical  of 
any  deed  of  Christian  kindness  which  involves  per- 
sonal sacrifice  ;  it  was  not  an  ordinance,  to  be  observed 
like  baptism." 

"  An  ordinance,"  returned  Israel,  "  we  know,  is  a 


38  AMONG    THE    BAPTISTS. 

rule  for  observance.  No  rule  to  be  observed  was 
uttered  by  our  Lord  more  oracularly  than  this.  He 
added,  '  For  I  have  given  you  an  example,  that  ye 
should  do  as  I  have  done  to  you.'  " 

"  It  was  not  understood  by  his  disciples  as  of  literal 
significance,"  said  Dr.  Elias. 

"  I  am  not  inclined  to  think  so,"  said  Israel,  "  for 
when  Paul  recommends  a  widow  to  be  assisted  by  the 
Church,  he  mentions  as  one  qualification,  '  if  she  have 
washed  the  saints' feet.'  (i  Tim.  5  :  10.)  His  language 
evidently  was  intended  in  the  literal  meaning,  for  he 
accompanies  the  words  with  others  of  equally  prac- 
tical import." 

"  But  we  find  no  account  of  the  early  Christian 
Church  observing  the  practice  as  a  necessary  obliga- 
tion, and  as  a  testimonial  of  faith,"  said  the  doctor. 

"  In  every  age  of  the  Church,"  persisted  Israel, 
"  has  this  example  of  Christ  been  imitated  by  some  of 
his  disciples.  To  this  day,  it  is  observed  at  least  by 
the  Roman  Catholics  in  time  of  Lent,  in  Rome,  and 
also  by  the  Moravians,  or  Church  of  the  United 
Brethren.  If  you  Baptists  place  such  stress  upon 
your  implicit  obedience  to  the  commands  and  ex- 
ample of  Christ,  the  omission  of  this  rite  is  unr.ccount- 
able." 

The  whistle  of  the  approaching  train  being  dis- 
tinctly heard,  Dr.  Elias  said,  "  Young  man,  beware 
what  use  you  make  of  the  light  you  have  received." 

"  To  be  frank,"  replied  Israel,  "  I  am,  at  present, 
inclined  to  think  in  accordance  with  the  views  of  the 
Baptists ;  I  have  offered  my  objections  to  you,  by 
your  leave,  with  the  object  of  obtaining  information. 


CONVERSATION    WITH    A    BAPTIST    DIVINE.          39 

But  I  shall  come  to  no  practical  decision  until  I  have 
examined  more  thoroughly." 

"  We  invite  the  utmost  investigation  of  our  doc- 
trines—  since  they  are  founded  on  the  Word  of  God, 
which  cannot  be  broken,"  returned  the  doctor. 


40  AMONG   THE    BAPTISTS. 


CHAPTE  R  VI. 

BAPTIST    SOCIETY   FOR   RELIGIOUS    INQUIRY. 

SOME  time  after  the  conversation  in  the  preceding 
chapter,  Israel  Knight,  being  a  resident  of  a  New 
England  city,  and  an  attendant  at  one  of  the  leading 
Baptist  churches,  accepted  the  invitation  of  some  of 
the  young  men  of  that  society  to  be  present  at  their 
meeting  for  religious  inquiry.  It  happened  that,  at  the 
first  session  which  Israel  attended,  the  topic  for  that 
evening  was  the  History  of  the  Rise  and  Progress  of 
the  Baptists.  The  digest  of  the  lengthy  manuscript, 
for  the  most  part  compiled  from  reliable  authorities,* 
was  as  follows  :  — 

The  Baptists  came  from  Christ,  who  was  immersed 
in  the  river  Jordan  by  John  the  immerser.  From  the 
Greek  word,  of  which  baptism  is  but  the  English 
form,  we  do  not  call  immersion  a  mode  of  baptism, 
but  it  is  baptism  itself.  Hence,  it  is  incorrect  to  say 
that  a  person  is  baptized,  unless  he  has  been  immersed. 
The  Baptists  instituted  the  baptism  of  believers  as  the 
fit  subjects  for  the  ordinance,  in  the  examples  of 
baptism  found  in  the  New  Testament,  without  one 
exception. 

Until  the  third  century,  when  infant  baptism  first 

*  Among  these  should  be  cited  Rev.  Dr.  Cox,  the  English 
historian  of  the  Baptists. 


BAPTIST    SOCIETY    FOR    RELIGIOUS    INQUIRY.        4! 

began  to  be  practised,  immersion  was  the  only  baptis- 
mal rite  of  the  Church.  During  the  Dark  Ages,  when 
almost  every  species  of  error  gained  a  foothold  in  the 
churches,  infant  sprinkling  took  the  place  of  baptism 
in  a  majority  of  cases  ;  but  even  then,  we  find  evidences 
of  the  pure  rite  being  administered.  Before  Augus- 
tine visited  the  ancient  British  church,  they  did 
not  baptize  infants.  The  ancient  Catholics,  so  called, 
the  old  English  Episcopal  Church,  and  the  Greek,  and 
Arminian  Churches  baptized  by  immersion.  In  the 
eleventh  century  Bruno  and  Berengarius  were  oppo- 
nents of  any  form  of  baptism  but  immersion.  Their 
example  was  followed  by  the  Waldenses,  the  Lollards, 
and  the  Wickliffites.  The  first  Lollard  or  Baptist 
martyr  in  England  was  Sir  William  Sawtre,  in  the 
year  1401. 

From  the  accounts  of  the  public  disputations  upon 
infant  baptism,  at  an  early  period  of  -the  Reformation, 
in  Zurich,  Bale  and  Berne,  we  derive  sufficient 
evidence  of  another  existing  form  in  those  places. 

The  Baptists  were  principally  located  in  Holland 
during  the  latter  years  of  the  reign  of  Elizabeth  in 
England,  on  account  of  persecutions  received  from  the 
Court  of  the  High  Commission.  A  Baptist  church  of 
English  refugees  was  founded  at  Amsterdam,  about 
this  time,  by  Mr.  Smyth,  who  had  previously  been 
a  clergyman  of  the  Church  of  England  and  then  a 
Brownist  dissenter.  But  before  this  there  were 
Baptists  among  the  Anabaptists,  though  they  did  not 
form  a  separate  church.  After  the  death  of  Mr. 
Smyth,  in  1608,  Mr.  Helwisse  took  charge  of  this 
chui'ch,  and  soon  returned  to  England  with  his  con- 


42  AMONG    THE     BAPTISTS. 

gregation.  In  1620  these  Baptists  made  a  memorial 
to  Parliament,  in  which  they  disclaimed  all  connection 
with  the  Anabaptists.  From  their  avowal  of  doctrine 
it  appears  that  they  were  General  Baptists,  or  Armini- 
ans.  Thirteen  years  later,  Mr.  Spilsbury  established 
what  is  called  the  Particular,  or  Calvinistic,  Baptist 
Church,  in  London ;  and  being  careful  to  have  no 
connection  with  the  Arminian  branch  of  the  Baptists, 
they  sent  over  one  of  their  number  to  Holland  to  re- 
ceive baptism,  and  return  with  authority  to  administer 
it  to  them. 

At  the  time  of  Charles  the  First,  the  Baptists  re- 
ceived much  persecution  from  the  Presbyterians. 

In  1653,  under  Cromwell,  there  appeared  Mr. 
Barebone,  a  Baptist  minister  of  much  influence  in 
both  church  and  state.  From  his  name  the  Short 
Parliament  of  Cromwell  was  called  Praise-God- 
Barebone's  Parliament. 

In  1 66 1,  owing  to  the  disloyalty  of  certain  divisions 
of  the  Baptists  for  some  years  previous,  an  address 
containing  a  disavowal  of  Anabaptist  principles  was 
presented  to  the  king  of  England  by  the  Particular 
Baptists.  At  this  time  and  afterwards,  till  the  Revolu- 
tion in  1688,  they  suffered  persecution  from  efforts 
made  to  restore  them,  with  all  other  dissenters,  to  the 
established  church.  The  year  following  the  legal 
toleration,  delegates  from  more  than  a  hundred 
churches  met  in  London,  and  published  the  profession 
of  faith  known  as  the  Century  Confession. 

In  1639,  Roger  Williams  established  the  first 
Baptist  church  in  America.  It  was  in  Providence, 
Rhode  Island.  Their  early  history  in  New  England 


BAPTIST    SOCIETY    FOR    RELIGIOUS    INOJUIRY.       43 

shows  that  they  suffered  much  from  persecution, 
and  were  at  one  time  banished  from  Massachusetts. 
A  Baptist  church  was  founded  in  Charlestown,  Mass., 
in  1665.  And  in  the  first  half  of  this  century,  nine 
out  of  the  seventeen  American  Baptist  churches  were 
in  New  England. 

Among  the  eminent  men  of  the  denomination  in 
England  are  the  names  of  Gale,  Carson,  Gill,  the 
Rylands,  the  Stennetts,  Pearce,  Fuller,  Ward,  Carey, 
Hughes,  Foster,  •  Hall,  and  more  recently,  Spur- 
geon. 

Dr.  Gill  wrote  a  commentary  on  the  Bible  in  nine  vol- 
umes, folio,  and  was  the  author  of  other  valuable  works. 
Robert  Hall  is  said  to  have  been  the  greatest  preacher 
that  England  has  ever  produced.  His  books  take 
high  rank  among  standard  theological  works.  The 
same  is  true  of  the  works  of  Foster. 

In  our  own  land,  the  first  name  dear  to  every  Bap- 
tist heart  is  ROGER  WILLIAMS.  Not  only  in  the  eyes 
of  all  our  denomination,  but  of  all  the  sects  of  our 
land,  is  this  name  precious  as  that  of  the  pioneer  of 
true  liberty  of  conscience.  The  polity  of  the  churches 
founded  by  him  gave  to  Thomas  Jefferson  the  idea  of 
a  republican  form  of  government,  expressed  in  the 
Declaration  of  Independence.  Truly  has  Dr.  Chan- 
ning  said  of  Roger  Williams,  "Venerable  confessor 
in  the  cause  of  freedom  and  truth  !  May  his  name  be 
precious  and  immortal !  May  his  spirit  never  die  in 
the  community  which  he  founded  !  " 

The  Baptists  have  the  honor  of  being  foremost  in 
missionary  enterprises.  In  1792  the  Particular  Bap- 
tists of  England  founded  the  first  missionary  society, 


44  AMONG    THK    BAPTISTS. 

and  sent  Carey,  Thomas,  and  Marshman  to  India, 
where  their  labors  were  crowned  with  wonderful 
success. 

The  rise  of  our  numerous  home  and  foreign  mis- 
sionary societies,  we  trace,  under  God,  to  the  celebrated 
appeal  sent  to  the  American  Baptists  by  Dr.  Judson 
and  Rev.  L.  Rice,  in  1814.  These  men  were  pros- 
elytes to  our  church  from  the  Paedobaptists,  all  in  con- 
sequence of  reading  and  studying  the  New  Testament. 
....  (Then  followed  long,  statistical  accounts  of  the 
contributions  of  the  Baptist  churches  of  the  United 
States  and  Foreign  Missions,  and  likewise  other  benev- 
olent objects.) 

In  conclusion,  all  must  become  Baptists  before  the 
temporal  kingdom  of  Christ  can  be  established  on 
earth. 

After  this,  other  sects  were  treated.  A  summary 
of  some  of  this  treatment,  Israel  entered  in  his  note- 
book, as  follows :  — 

The  Congregationalists  have  no  divine  authority  for 
doctrines,  distinctive  from  the  Baptists.  They  are, 
however,  very  respectable  as  a  denomination  in  both 
latent  and  active  power. 

The  Methodists,  like  all  who  are  in  the  secondary, 
procellous,  stage  of  development,  are  pleased  to  be 
heard  rather  than  closely  seen  ;  consequently,  by  way 
of  caution,  the  adage  reversing  this  process  applies. 
Their  usages,  for  the  most  part,  are  not  what  refined 
Baptists  can  approve.  The  rapid  propagation  of  the 
sect  is  easily  accounted  for,  when  we  consider  the 
class  for  which  its  polity  is  adapted,  and  how  little  is 


BAPTIST    SOCIETY    FOR    RELIGIOUS    INQUIRY.        45 

required  formally  to  adopt  it.  John  Wesley  was  a 
very  good  man,  but  he  is  vastly  overrated  by  the  people 
who  profess  to  make  Christ  their  leader  and  head. 

The  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  is  but  one  short 
remove  from  the  Roman  Catholics.  It  has  afforded  a 
good  asylum  for  the  ambitious  and  disaffected  minis- 
ters of  our  own  fold,  and  also  for  some  of  our  senti- 
mental females. 

The  Quakers,  as  they  were,  could  teach  some  of  us 
many  valuable  lessons,  especially  our  women,  upon  the 
subject  of  fine  clothes.  They  are  to  be  commended 
for  their  poor  attempts  at  proselytism. 

The  Unitarians  and  Universalists  are  of  antichrist. 
We  leave  them  to  the  Searcher  of  Hearts,  meanwhile 
uttering  our  solemn  protest  against  their  doctrines  and 
practice. 

Emanuel  Swedenborg  was  insane,  and  all  his  fol- 
lowers are  deluded  enthusiasts. 

The  father  of  Spiritualism  is  the  father  of  lies. 

Israel  also  entered  into  his  book,  "  What  I  gather 
from  the  Baptists,  that  others  think  of  them  :  — 

In  general,  we  are  regarded  as  remarkable  for  purity  of  doc- 
trine, and  we  hope,  not  less  for  practice. 

In  particular,  John  Calvin  held  us  in  great  respect.  If  it 
had  not  been  for  our  freedom  of  opinion,  he  would  have 
become  one,  it  is  manifest,  from  his  words  :  — 

"The  word  baptize  signifies  to  immerse,  and  the  rite  of 
immersion  was  observed  by  the  ancient  church ;  and  from 
these  words  it  may  be  inferred  that  baptism  was  administered 
by  plunging  the  whole  body  under  water." — Obs.  on  John  3  :  23. 

"  In  England,  of  late  years,  I  ever  thought  the  parson  bap- 
tizing his  own  fingers  rather  than  the  child."  —  Selden. 


46  AMONG    THE    BAPTISTS. 

"  We  grant  that  baptism  (in  the  primitive  times)  was  by 
washing  the  whole  body." — Baxter  on  Matt.  3  :  6. 

"  The  custom  of  the  ancient  churches  was  not  sprinkling 
but  immersion."  —  Bishop  Taylor. 

"  The  person  baptized  went  down  into  the  water,  and  was, 
as  it  were,  buried  under  it."  —  Bishop  Pearce. 

"'Buried  with  him  in  baptism!'  It  seems  the  part  of 
candor  to  confess  that  here  is  an  allusion  to  the  manner  of 
baptizing  by  immersion,  as  most  usual  in  those  early  times." 
—  Doddridge. 

"  Christ  commanded  us  to  be  baptized,  by  which  word  it  is 
certain  immersion  is  signified."  —  Beza. 

"Anciently,  those  who  were  baptized,  were  immersed  and 
buried  in  the  water,"  &c.  &c.  —  Tillotson. 

"Mary  Welsh,  aged  eleven  days,  was  baptized  according  to 
the  first  church,  and  the  rule  of  the  Church  of  England,  by 
immersion."  —  Wesley. 

"  I  could  wish  that  such  as  are  to  be  baptized  should  be 
completely  immersed  into  water,  according  to  the  meaning  of 
the  word  and  the  signification  of  the  ordinance."  —  Martin 
Luther. 


FOUR    FACES.  47 


CHAPTER  VII. 

FOUR    FACES. 

ABOUT  this  time,  our  young  investigator  received 
the  following  letter  from  his  guardian  :  — 

"  Then  you  are  about  to  become  a  Baptist,  be- 
cause, you  say,  their  view  of  the  ordinance  of  bap- 
tism is  the  only  correct  one  according  to  the  New 
Testament ! 

"What  do  you  mean  by  being  a  Baptist?  There 
are,  as  I  presume  you  know,  at  least  nine  different 
divisions  of  this  sect  in  our  own  country  ;  viz.,  Regular 
Baptists,  Freewill  Baptists,  Six-Principle  Baptists, 
Disciples  or  Campbellites,  Seventh-Day  Baptists, 
Winnebrenarians,  Anti-Mission  Baptists,  Christians 
and  Dunkers  —  in  all,  comprising  about  one  million 
and  a  half  members.  If  you  mean  a  Regular  Baptist,  are 
you  sure  that  you  fully  endorse  their  views  upon  other 
points  of  doctrine,  as  this  one  of  immersion?  Have 
you  looked  on  all  sides  of  this,  at  present,  your 
favorite  denomination?  Remember  that  the  wrong 
side  of  every  sect,  you  best  get  from  the  opposition. 
No  observation  and  inference  are  so  industriously 
faithful  as  this. 

"You  have  doubtless  noticed  already  four  faces,  at 
least,  to  the  Regular  Baptists.  This  development 
will  appear  in  every  sect ;  like  the  cherubim  of 


48  AMONG   THE    BAPTISTS. 

Ezekiel's  vision.  (Ez.  i  :  10.)  '  The  face  of  a  man,  the 
face  of  a  lion,  the  face  of  an  ox,  and  the  face  of  an 
eagle,  have  they  all.' 

"The  first  indicates  humanity  in  the  image  of  the 
Divine.  Under  this  face  range  many  of  the  Baptists. 
These  are  moved  by  the  spirit  of  charity.  They  love, 
they  forgive,  they  endure.  Whoever  has  the  friend- 
ship of  one  of  them,  has  a  friend  who  turns  not  as  he 
goes. 

"The  second,  or  lion-face,  includes  another  class  not 
less  certain  in  their  identity.  Proud  and  haughty 
scorner  is  his  name.  The  representative  man  of  them 
deals  in  proud  wrath.  He  has  intelligence  like  the 
lion,  —  a  nobility  which  is  selfish,  tyrannous.  He 
demands  the  lion's  share.  He  thinks  his  roar  is  terri- 
ble ;  nevertheless  a  mouse  can  deliver  him.  His  ideas 
project  his  own  royalty  into  the  next  life.  This  face, 
likewise,  have  the  Baptists.  It  covereth  more  and 
more  disciples,  every  day,  with  the  increase  of  worldly 
prosperity. 

"  The  third  is  that  of  the  burden-drawer. 

"  These  are  obedient,  patient,  faithful,  laborious. 
They  serve  the  will  of  the  others. 

"The  last  comprises  enterprise,  aggressive  and  pro- 
gressive. These  fly.  They  soar  alone,  yet  they  are 
not  without  an  eyrie  which  is  near  the  clouds,  and  is 
a  divine  compensation  for  their  work  of  isolated 
result.  They  plan  and  carry  missions.  They  build 
churches  and  schools  where  else  would  be  a  desert. 
They  adventure  royally.  They  attempt  the  millen- 
nium. 

"  Israel !  look  out  for  the  lion.  The  less  you  see  him 


FOUR   FACES.  49 

in  any  denomination,  the  better  it  is  for  the  nonce.  He 
roars  in  the  pulpit,  in  the  newspaper,  and  in  the 
sacraments. 

Truly  Yours, 

EPHRAIM  STEARNS." 


AMONG    THE    CONGREGATIONALISTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

IN  A  CONGREGATIONAL  SUNDAY  SCHOOL. 

"  THERE  must  be  a  right  road  to  the  city  with  that 
name  of  names,"  reflected  Israel  Knight,  "  and  possi- 
bly I  shall  find  it  here." 

He  was  among  the  young  men's  class  of  an  Ortho- 
dox Congregational  Sunday  school,  in  the  city. 

The  subject  of  the  lesson  was  Baptism.  The 
teacher  was  an  elderly  clergyman,  who  resided  in  that 
parish,  and  preached  only  occasionally,  by  reason  of 
impaired  health.  His  manner  was  genial.  He  invited 
free  discussion,  as  a  teacher  will,  who  understands  his 
theme,  and  is  not  afraid  of  its  foundations. 

Israel  had  a  good  deal  of  curiosity  to  observe  what 
could  be  said  on  a  subject  which  now,  he  fully 
believed,  had  only  one  well-defended  side. 

"  Suppose  one  of  you  takes  the  Baptists'  position  of 
this  question,  and  see  how  many  good  sharp  shots  you 
can  make  at  us,"  said  the  teacher,  glancing  about  the 
young  men.  "  We'll  endeavor  to  heal  our  wounds  as 
best  we  may,"  he  added. 

"  There  is  one  here  among  us,"  remarked  a  leading 
member  of  the  class,  "  whom,  though  a  stranger  to  all 
but  myself,  I  beg  leave  to  introduce  as  inclined  to  dis- 
cussion upon  this  '  exact  science  '  of  baptism.  Fresh 

51 


52  AMONG   THE    CONGREGATIONALISTS. 

from  Baptist  teachings,  I  hope  he  will  favor  us  witn 
light  from  his  stand-point." 

••  Yes,"  said  the  teacher,  looking  at  Israel,  "we  in- 
vite you,  sir,  to  state  any  objections  to  our  view  which 
may  occur.  By  so  doing  you  will  best  help  us  to  find 
our  own  fortifications." 

"  I  am  not  a  Baptist,"  replied  Israel,  somewhat  em- 
1'. massed  by  these  words,  "  though  I  confess  that  their 
principal  arguments  upon  their  mode  of  baptism  seem 
to  me  unanswerable." 

"  For  instance,  state  the  first  root  of  the  difficulty, 
if  you  please." 

"  The  origin  of  baptism,  as  an  example  for  Chris- 
tians, or,  in  other  words,  of  Christian  baptism,  was  the 
baptism  of  Christ  by  John  in  the  river  Jordan  ;  was  it 
not?"  asked  Israel. 

"  I  hold  '  Christian  baptism '  to  be  an  unimportant 
term,"  replied  the  teacher ;  "  since  Christ  was  bap- 
tized, not  to  found  a  rite,  but  to  observe  one  long  estab- 
lished. He  did  not  say  of  his  baptism,  as  of  the 
sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  '  This  do  in  remem- 
brance of  me,'  but  '  Suffer  it  to  be  so  now,  for  thus 
it  becometh  us  to  fulfil  all  righteousness,'  signifying 
the  necessity  of  answering  an  established  law  of  prac- 
tice. He  also  said  that  he  came  not  to  destroy  the  law 
and  the  prophets,  but  to  fulfil  them.  The  spirit  of 
this  rite  under  different  figures  is  seen  throughout  the 
dispensations  which  preceded  Christ. 

"  In  the  first  age  of  the  world  is  the  covenant  be- 
tween God  and  Adam,  the  article  of  which  was,  to 
have  and  to  hold  every  tree  in  the  garden  for  food, 
save  the  fruit  of  the  tree  of  knowledge  of  good  and 


IN    A    CONGREGATIONAL    SUNDAY    SCHOOL.          53 

evil.  Abstinence  from  this  fruit  was  the  sacramental 
seal  of  the  covenant.  After  this  covenant,  or  baptism 
into  the  will  of  God,  man  was  known  by  a  name  dis- 
tinct from  his  kind.  He  was  called  Adam.  This 
covenant  being  broken  on  the  part  of  man,  God  in 
his  goodness  did  not  forsake  him,  but  manifested  his 
first  covenant  of  grace  in  a  new  form,  under  certain 
conditions,  promising  him  the  sustenance  of  life.  The 
sacrament  of  this  covenant  was  the  offering  of  the 
firstlings  of  the  flock  by  man  unto  the  Lord,  and  its 
acceptance.  This  prefigured  the  sacrifice  of  Christ, 
and  may  properly  be  called  the  first  covenant,  with  its 
attending  sacrament,  between  God  and  fallen  man. 

"  In  the  second  age  of  the  world,  the  event  which  pre- 
figured salvation  through  faith  in  Christ  is  best 
described  by  the  Apostle  Peter,  '  In  the  days  of  Noah 
while  the  Ark  was  a  preparing,  wherein  few,  that  is, 
eight  souls  were  saved  by  water.  The  like  figure, 
whereunto,  even  baptism,  doth  now  also  save  us.'  (i. 
Pet.  3  :  20.) 

"  God's  covenant  with  man  was  here  renewed  to 
Noah  and  to  his  seed  after  him.  In  the  cloud  which 
should  bring  a  baptism  upon  the  earth,  was  the  bow 
or  sign  of  his  promise  of  salvation  from  destruction. 

"  In  the  third  age  of  the  world,  again  did  God  cov- 
enant with  man  through  Abram.  He  was  promised 
to  be  a  father  of  many  nations.  His  name  was  pro- 
nounced to  be  Abraham.  '  And  I  will  establish  my 
covenant  between  me  and  thee,  and  thy  seed  after 
thee,  in  their  generations,  for  an  everlasting  covenant, 
to  be  a  God  unto  thee  and  to  thy  seed  after  thee.' 

"  The  seal  of  this  sublime  promise  was  the  rite  of 


54  AMONG    THE    CONGREGATIONAHSTS. 

circumcision,  which  was  also  a  like  figure  to  baptism, 
typical  of  salvation  through  faith." 

Here  Israel  asked  to  interrupt  the  teacher,  and  said  : 
"  Since  it  was  only  the  male  child  who  was  required 
to  receive  this  rite,  how  can  it  be  made  to  answer  in 
correspondence  to  baptism,  which  is  the  profession  of 
faith  by  all  believers,  or  by  the  responsible  for  the  irre- 
sponsible, whether  male  or  female." 

"  Before  the  birth  of  Christ,"  answered  the  clergy- 
man, "  woman  was  considered,  like  Eve,  to  be  one 
flesh  with  man,  —  bone  of  his  bones,  and  flesh  of  his 
flesh.  But  when  Christ  came,  born  of  a  woman,  her 
sex  took  on  a  new  importance,  and  assumed  a  distinct 
personality." 

"  Eve,"  said  Israel,  "  was  a  wife,  and  I  supposed 
the  identity  of  sexual  bone  and  flesh  to  have  referred 
solely  to  this  relation  of  life.  By  whom  were  the 
single  women  represented  before  the  descendants  of 
Mary?" 

"  By  their  fathers  and  brothers,"  promptly  replied 
the  teacher.  "  The  rite  of  circumcision,"  he  went  on, 
"  like  baptism,  was  a  figure  of  Christ's  death.  In  that 
death  the  man,  and  not  the  mother,  suffered.  And 
although  it  may  be  truly  said  that  no  being,  male  or 
female,  other  than  Christ  himself,  endured  the  penal- 
ties of  man's  transgression  on  the  cross,  it  is  equally 
plain  that  Christ's  human  nature,  united  with  the 
divine,  endured  the  agonies  of  the  Passion.  This 
nature  belonged  to  man  peculiarly,  while  in  general 
it  embraced  all  mankind. 

"  From  this  I  derive  the  idea  that  it  is  far  easier  for 
woman  to  experience  the  birth  into  the  new  life  or  the 


IN  A  CONGREGATIONAL  SUNDAY  SCHOOL.    55 

regeneration,  than  for  man.  Throughout  Christendom 
it  will  be  found  that  women  are  far  more  numerous 
among  the  followers  of  the  Master,  than  men.  This 
is  one  of  the  compensations  in  the  Infinite  Plan,  for 
the  curse  she  received  at  the  Fall." 

Some  of  the  members  of  the  class  exchanged 
glances  of  incredulity  ;  but  Israel,  unconsciously  adopt- 
ing the  expression  of  a  work  in  the  French  language, 
which  he  had  lately  translated,  said,  in  a  low  voice, 
"  Vous  avez  raison" 

"  It  appeared,"  now  spoke  one  of  the  young  men  of 
the  class,  "  that  when  Moses  asked  Pharaoh  that  they 
might  go  and  serve  the  Lord,  and  Pharaoh  said,  Who 
are  they  that  shall  go  ?  Moses  said,  We  will  go  with  our 
young  and  with  our  old,  with  our  sons  and  with  our 
daughters,  with  our  flocks  and  with  our  herds  will  we 
go  :  for  we  must  hold  a  feast  unto  the  Lord.  Not  so, 
answered  Pharaoh ;  go  now  ye  that  are  men,  and 
serve  the  Lord.  It  seemed,  then,  that  Moses  and 
Aaron  made  some  account  of  the  daughters  as  well  as 
the  sons,  in  distinctive  enumeration." 

"  That,"  said  the  teacher,  "  was  with  reference  to 
the  event,  which  was  one  of  joy  —  a  feast  not  of 
suffering.  The  benefits  of  circumcision  as  a  ceremonial 
observance  accrued  equally  to  the  female  as  to  the  male." 

"  In  all  mention  of  the  ancient  Church,  the  promise 
includes  the  seed  of  the  Father  of  believers,"  observed 
another. 

"  What  evidence,"  asked  Israel,  "  do  we  find  in  the 
New  Testament  of  any  change  taking  effect  in  the 
state  of  woman  after  the  incarnation  of  Christ  ?  " 

"  Turn  to  i  Cor.  7  :   14"   said  he,  "  and  there  you 


56  AMONG   THE    CONGREGATIONALISTS. 

learn  that  the  believing  wife  of  an  unbelieving 
husband  makes  the  children  holy,  or  members  of  the 
Church,  and  partakers  of  the  covenant  of  grace.  If  she 
be  a  true  believer,  she  will  avail  herself  of  the  benefits 
of  the  Abrahamic  covenant  to  the  children  of  believers, 
which  is  promised  to  be  everlasting.  She  will  be 
faithful  to  instruct  her  children  in  the  faith,  and  bring 
them  to  the  participation  of  its  sacramental  fruits,  in 
answer  to  the  seal  which  she  caused  to  be  placed  upon 
them  in  their  infancy." 

"  We  infer,  then,  that  the  coming  of  Christ,  not  only 
effected  the  scheme  of  Redemption  of  the  human 
family ,"but  preeminently  redeemed  the  condition  of 
woman,"  remarked  a  member. 

"  The  fourth  age  of  the  world  brings  us  to  the 
Passover,"  the  teacher  resumed.  "  Upon  the  four- 
teenth day  of  the  first  month,  which  was  the  fourth 
of  May,  Monday  evening  with  us,  did  this  event  take 
place.  (Ex.  12:  u.)  Here  we  find  that  the  paschal 
lamb  was  to  be  for  every  house,  unless  the  household 
be  too  little  for  the  lamb,  in  which  case,  the  neighbor 
was  to  unite,  according  to  the  number  of  souls. 

"  Not  long  after  this,  we  read  of  a  baptism  of  the 
chosen  people  by  God  himself:  '  Moreover,  brethren, 
I  would  not  that  ye  should  be  ignorant,  how  that  all 
our  fathers  were  under  the  cloud,  and  all  passed 
through  the  sea ;  and  were  all  baptized  unto  Moses, 
in  the  cloud  and  in  the  sea.'  And  yet  they  all  walked 
upon  dry  land  in  the  midst  of  the  sea.  You  will  here 
mark  that  God  must  have  baptized  children  as  well  as 
the  heads  of  families ;  but  more  of  this  hereafter,"  he 
concluded,  for  the  bell  announcing  the  close  of  the 
exercises  rung. 


IN   A   CONGREGATIONAL   SUNDAY    SCHOOL.          57 


CHAPTER  II. 

IN   A   CONGREGATIONAL   SUNDAY  SCHOOL,  CONTINUED. 

ON  the  following  Sabbath,  the  subject  for  their 
lesson  being  continued,  the  teacher  said,  "  Perhaps  I 
have  already  said  enough  to  satisfy  you  that  the 
baptism  of  Christ  was  in  obedience  to  the  old  law 
pertaining  to  the  covenant  of  God  with  the  faithful 
children  of  Abraham." 

"  It  is  not  clear  to  me,"  said  Israel,  "  what  connec- 
tion exists  between  the  Old  and  the  New  dispen- 
sations ;  or,  rather,  what  evidence  is  found  in  the  New 
Testament  of  the  transmission  of  the  'benefits  of  the 
Abrahamic  covenant  and  the  ancient  laws  given  to 
God's  people." 

"  In  Gal.  3  :  24,  we  read  :  'Wherefore  the  law  was 
our  schoolmaster  to  bring  us  unto  Christ,  that  we 
might  be  justified  by  faith.'  And  again :  '  Christ  is 
the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to  every  one  that 
believeth.'  Hence,  in  this  dispensation  they  baptized 
in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the 
Holy  Ghost. 

"  Turn  to  the  second  chapter  of  Acts,  thirty-eighth 
and  thirty-ninth  verses  :  '  Then  Peter  said  unto  them, 
Repent,  and  be  baptized  every  one  of  you  in  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ,  for  the  remission  of  sins,  and  ye  shall 
receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  For  the  promise 


58  AMONG    THE    CONGRKGATIONALISTS. 

is  unto  you  and  to  your  children,  and  to  all  that  are 
:if.ir  off,  even  as  many  as  the  Lord  our  God  shall  call.' 

"  Here  is  the  most  impressive  allusion  to  the 
promise  made  to  Abraham  —  to  be  a  God  unto  him 
and  to  his  seed  after  him.  To  you  and  to  your  chil- 
dren, says  Peter.  He  also  exhorts  every  one  of  them 
to  repent  and  be  baptized.  As  his  hearers  were  com- 
posed of  representatives  of  many  nations,  this  strictly 
verifies  the  promise  to  Abraham,  '  Thou  shalt  be  a 
lather  of  many  nations.' 

"  You  will  here  notice  that  this  was  the  opening^ 
event  of  what  is  called  the  Christian  dispensation ;  it 
was  based  by  the  apostle  upon  the  Promise.  In  Paul's 
epistle  to  the  Romans,  fourth  chapter  and  sixteenth 
verse,  we  find  these  words  :  '  Therefore  it  is  of  faith, 
that  it  might  be  by  grace ;  to  the  end  the  promise 
might  be  sure  to  all  the  seed  :  not  to  that  only  which 
is  of  the  law,  but  to  that  also  which  is  of  the  faith  of 
Abraham,  who  is  the  father  of  us  all,  (as  it  is  written, 
I  have  made  thee  a  father  of  many  nations.') 

"  These  words  alone,  without  the  aid  of  further 
testimony  of  the  writings  of  the  apostles,  clearly  show 
the  transmission  of  the  blessings  of  the  exceeding 
great  and  precious  promise  included  in  the  covenant 
with  Abraham,  to  the  disciples  of  the  new  dispensa- 
tion." 

"  Granting  this,"  said  Israel,  "  I  cannot  see  but  that 
immersion  is  the  example  of  baptism  under  the  Chris- 
tian dispensation,  and  its  subjects  only  believers." 

"  Looking  at  one  point  at  a  time,  we  next  consider 
the  mode  of  baptism,"  continued  the  teacher. 

"  You  must  be  aware  that  the  Greek  word  for  the 


IN  A  CONGREGATIONAL  SUNDAY  SCHOOL.    59 

English  word  '  baptize '  can  faithfully  be  rendered  '  bap- 
tize,' '  wash,' '  drown,' '  sprinkle,' '  dip,' '  plunge,' '  over- 
whelm.' The  only  way  that  remains  to  us  to  determine 
which  meaning  of  the  word  baptizo  was  intended  to 
be  used,  as  instructing  the  true  method  of  interpretation, 
is  a  comparison  of  all  the  passages  in  the  Bible  which 
use  this  word.  This,  certainly,  will  be  admitted  as 
honesty  in  sacred  hermeneutics. 

"  We  have  already  seen  that  the  baptism  of  the  Isra- 
elites in  the  cloud  and  in  the  sea  could  not  have  signi- 
fied to  immerse.  This  points  clearly  to  a  spiritual  or 
internal  baptism,  as  does  also  that  passage  in  Rom. 
6:3,4,  '  Know  ye  not  that  so  many  of  us  as  were  bap- 
tized into  Jesus  Christ,  were  baptized  into  his  death? 
Therefore  we  are  buried  with  him  by  baptism,  into 
death.'  The  apostle  also  says,  '  Know  ye  not  that  as 
many  of  us  as  were  baptized  into  Jesus  Christ,  were 
baptized  into  his  death  ? '  That  these  figures  cannot 
teach  in  a  literal  sense  or  prove  a  baptism  by  immer- 
sion, is  evident  from  all  the  doctrine  of  the  context. 
The  'buried  with  him  by  baptism'  no  more  points  to  a 
literal  immersion  than  does  that  kindred  passage : 
'  Knowing  this,  that  our  old  man  is  crucified  with 
him,  that  the  body  of  sin  might  be  destroyed,'  point 
to  a  literal  crucifixion  of  the  disciple.  If  it  were 
literal,  and  the  burial  really  taught  the  mode  of  bap^- 
tism,  the  figure  should  be  supported  still  further  by 
putting  on  something  according  to  the  words  :  '  For  as 
many  of  you  as  have  been  baptized  into  Christ  have 
•put  on  Christ.'  Or  yet,  the  literal  sense  equally  im- 
presses into  its  service  the  words,  '  In  whom  also  ye. 
are  circumcised  with  the  circumcision  made  without 


Co  AMONO   THE   CONGRKGATIONALISTS. 

hands,  in  putting  off  the  body  of  the  sins  of  the 
tk-sh.'  IK'tr,  something  should  be  put  off. 

*4  The  unfairness  of  using  these  passages  as  instruc- 
tive- of  the  mode  of  baptism  is  too  clear  to  require  much 
o  .mment.  *  God  is  a  spirit,  and  they  that  worship  him 
should  worship  him  in  spirit  and  in  truth.'  '  The  wind 
bloweth  where  it  listeth,  and  thou  hearest  the  sound 
thereof,  but  canst  not  tell  whence  it  cometh  or  whither 
it  goeth ;  so  is  every  one  that  is  born  of  the  spirit.' 
Every  type  pertaining  to  Christ,  received  by  his  disci- 
ples, should  be  used  in  the  spiritual  sense.  We  have 
no  right  to  make  any  likeness  of  his  burial  more  than 
of  his  death. 

"  Again,  we  find  the  fulfilment  of  the  promise  to  the 
disciples  that  they  should  be  baptized  with  the  Holy 
Ghost,  signified  in  the  Day  of  Pentecost  by  the  act  of 
pouring  out. 

"  The  baptism  of  the  cups,  and  pots,  and  brazen 
vessels,  and  tables,  alluded  to  in  Mark  7  :  4,  is  more 
clearly  illustrated  in  Numbers  19:  18 — 'And  a  clean 
person  shall  take  hyssop,  and  dip  it  in  the  water,  and 
sprinkle  it  upon  the  tent,  and  upon  all  the  vessels,  and 
upon  the  persons  that  were  there,'  etc." 

"  But  what  means  that  passage  in  Hebrews  10  :  22  — 
Having  our  hearts  sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience 
and  our  bodies  washed  with  pure  water?"  inquired 
Israel.  "  Does  not  the  washing  here  signify  something 
more  than  the  act  of  aspersion  ?  " 

"  As  in  the  cases  already  mentioned,  let  us  compare 
the  passages  where  the  word  wash  is  used,"  said  the 
teacher. 

"  In  the  Old  Testament,  when  Moses  washed  Aaron 


IN    A   CONGREGATIONAL    SUNDAY    SCHOOL.         6l 

and  his  sons,  according  to  the  command  of  God,  before 
all  the  congregation,  the  whole  body  could  not  have 
been  intended. 

"  In  John  13  :  8,  9,  10,  we  read,  'Jesus  answered 
him,  If  I  wash  thee  hot,  thou  hast  no  part  with  me. 
Simon  Peter  saith  unto  him,  Lord,  not  my  feet  only, 
but  also  my  hands  and  my  head.  Jesus  saith  to  him, 
He  that  is  washed  needeth  not  save  to  wash  his  feet, 
but  is  clean  every  whit.'  By  a  similar  rule  of  inter- 
pretation we  understand  his  words  in  Matt.  26:  12, 
'  For  in  that  she  hath  poured  the  ointment  on  my  body] 
when  in  a  previous  verse  it  is  distinctly  stated,  4  There 
came  unto  him  a  woman  with  an  alabaster  box  of  very 
precious  ointment,  and  poured  it  on  his  head' " 

"  Except  ye  be  born  of  water  and  of  the  spirit," 
continued  another  member  of  the  class  —  "  does  not 
'  born  of  water'  foreshow  baptism  by  immersion?" 

"  No  more,"  answered  the  teacher,  "  than  do  the 
words  'born  of  the  spirit'  indicate  absolute  perfection 
of  regeneration.  If  you  accept  one  horn  of  the  dilemma 
in  a  literal  and  complete  figure,  you  must  equally  accept 
the  other  and  become  a  Perfectionist,  than  which  noth- 
ing is  more  absurd.  Indeed  I  regard  this  verse  as  con- 
taining one  of  the  strongest  arguments  in  favor  of  a 
partial  baptism  of  the  person,  as  also  the  kindred  one, 
'  He  who  shall  come  after  me  shall  baptize  you  with 
the  Holy  Ghost  and  with  fire.'  This  baptism  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  in  no  wise  was  a  complete  immersion 
of  the  spirits  of  men  into  union  with  the  Divine 
Spirit." 

"  But  why  is  it  that  John  is  stated  to  have  baptized 
in  the  river  Jordan,  also  that,  when  Jesus  was  baptized, 


62  AMONG   THE   CONGKEGATIONALISTS. 

IK-  went  up  straightway  out  of  the  water?  "  now  asked 
Israel. 

••  Yes,  and  likewise  Philip  and  the  Eunuch  went 
down  both  into  the  water,  and  they  came  up  out  of 
the  water,"  added  another  of  the  students. 

"  And  they  baptized  in  Enon  because  there  was 
much  water  there,"  pursued  a  third. 

"  Now  he  is  surely  out  and  quite  lost,"  reflected 
Israel  triumphantly. 

"  Both  you  and  I  have  studied  the  Greek  sufficiently 
to  know  that  all  those  words  which  in  English  place 
the  persons  engaged  in  the  rite  of  baptism  in  the 
water,  also  the  coming  out  of  the  water,  etc.,  could 
just  as  easily  and  honestly  be  rendered  by  other  prep- 
ositions. A  laborious  investigator*  of  this  part  of 
translation  has  taken  pains  to  furnish  the  following 
statement,  which,  thinking  it  might  be  useful  as 
well  as  curious  to  you,  I  have  brought  with  me  to- 
day :  — 

u  '  The  Greek  word  in  those  places  translated  in  is 
en.  The  word  expressing  Jesus  went  up  out  of  the 
water,  is  apo.  The  word  expressing  Philip  and  the 
Eunuch  went  down  into  the  water,  is  els.  The 
word  expressing  they  went  out  of  the  water,  is  ek. 

"  *  I  have  examined  those  prepositions  in  ail  those 
five  books,  how  they  are  translated  in  every  place 
where  they  are  used.  There  are,  of  all  that  I  have  ex- 
amined, 2859.  En  is  used  1033  times,  of  which  47 
are  rendered  in  adverbs.  In  25  cases  the  sense  is 

•  Rev.  Ebenezer  Chaplin.  From  this  author  the  teacher 
derived  many  of  his  arguments,  which  appear  in  this  and  the 
foregoing  chapter. 


IN  A  CONGREGATIONAL  SUNDAY  SCHOOL.    63 

involved  in  other  words,  so  that  there  is  no  distinct 
word  in  English  answering  to  en  in  the  Greek. 
The  rest,  964,  are  rendered  in  English  prepositions, 
seventeen  different  ways ;  viz.,  in,  by,  'with,  among, 
within,  for,  under,  at,  through,  on,  before,  unto, 
into,  of,  to,  about,  over.  It  is  translated  in  more 
than  all  the  rest.  But  it  is  rendered  at  53  times,  by 
44,  with  42,  among  45,  on  30.  The  rest  are  less,  as 
10,  7,  etc. 

"  '  The  word  apo  I  have  found  vised  423  times  in 
those  five  books ;  6  are  rendered  adverbs,  1 1  are  in- 
volved. The  rest,  406,  are  rendered  in  English  prep- 
ositions, 13  different  ways.  It  is  translated  from 
235  times,  all  the  rest  172  ;  so  that  from  is  many  more 
than  all  the  rest. 

"  '  The  word  eis  is  used  in  those  first  five  books  of  the 
New  Testament  955  times  ;  17  are  rendered  adverbs, 
36  are  involved.  The  rest,  902,  are  rendered  in 
English  prepositions,  seventeen  different  ways.  It  is 
rendered  into  388,  to  188,  unto  97,  in  86,  on  \^,for 
23,  at  18,  against  18  ;  the  rest  are  less,  as  10,  8,  etc. 

"  '  Ek  is  found  446  times  in  the  same  books  ;  4  are 
rendered  adverbs,  6  are  involved.  The  remainder,  435, 
are  rendered  in  English  prepositions,  thirteen  different 
ways.  It  is  rendered  of  191,  from  102,  out  of  77,  on 
30,  with  17.'" 

"  How  are  we  to  arrive  at  a  certainty  respecting  the 
translation  of  any  passage,  if  the  original  words  can 
be  rendered  in  so  many  ways?"  asked  one  present, 
who  had  no  acquaintance  with  any  language  but  his 


own. 


Only  by  the  obvious  sense  of  the  word  in  connec- 


64  AMONG   THE   CONGREGATIONALISTS. 

tii >n  with  the  spirit  of  kindred  passages,"  replied  the 
u-achcr.  After  a  moment's  pause,  he  continued, 
"  In  those  countries,  the  multitudes  who  gathered  for 
baptism  could  only  be  accommodated  near  the  water. 
Tliis  was  necessary  for  the  comfort  of  themselves  and 
their  beasts.  As  they  were  a  nomadic  people,  and 
being  in  the  wilderness,  vessels  were  not  convenient. 
In  Mark,  we  find  it  stated  that  John  began  to  baptize 
in  the  wilderness.  In  John,  it  reads,  *  These  things 
were  done  in  Bethabara  beyond  Jordan,  where  John 
was  baptizing.' 

"  Likewise,  in  the  case  of  Philip  and  the  Eunuch,  it 
will  be  noticed  that  recourse  to  water  by  the  wayside 
was  a  necessity.  But  here  the  translators  have  not 
been  faithful  to  their  own  rules.  In  connection  with 
the  baptism  of  Christ,  the  word  rendered  '  out  of  the 
water '  is  '  a^o,'  while  in  this  position,  the  word 
having  the  same  translation  is  '  ek' 

"  It  is  just  as  true  to  say  that  they  went  by  or  from 
the  water  as  out  of  it. 

"  The  case  of  baptism  in  Enon  is  explained  like- 
wise by  reference  to  the'  original,  where  it  reads,  '  for 
there  were  many  waters  there.'  These  numerous 
springs,  or  waters,  would  accommodate  the  multitudes 
who  flocked  to  the  baptism  of  John." 

"  That  he  could  not  have  immersed  so  many,  is  evi- 
dent from  the  multitudes  who  received  the  rite.  This 
also  appears  in  connection  with  the  baptism  at  the  Day 
of  Pentecost,  when  three  thousand  were  added  to  the 
Church  in  one  day.  It  would  have  been  impossible  to 
have  immersed  so  many. 

"  In  regard  to  your  other  point  of  difficulty,  respect- 


IN    A    CONGREGATIONAL    SUNDAY    SCHOOL.  65 

ing  believers  being  the  only  proper  subjects  of  bap- 
tism," continued  the  clergyman,  "  here  I  must  again 
insist  upon  the  spiritual  meaning  of  the  outward  act. 
The  baptism  of  infants  who  have  not  arrived  at  suffi- 
cient age  to  participate  in  the  act  of  faith  themselves, 
is  always  in  the  faith  of  one  or  more  responsible  be- 
lievers." 

"  Since  Christ  was  circumcised  in  his  infancy,"  said 
Israel,  "  and  if  baptism  came  in  the  room  of  circum- 
cision, why  was  it  necessary  for  him  to  be  baptized 
upon  his  own  responsibility?  Or  rather,  if  children 
are  now  sprinkled  in  the  room  of  circumcision,  why 
should  they  not  again  be  baptized  upon  profession  of 
their  faith,  after  the  pattern  of  Christ?" 

"  It  reads,  '  Except  a  man  be  born  of  water  and  of 
the  spirit,  he  cannot  enter  the  kingdom  of  God.'  The 
birth  of  water  is  mentioned  first,  as  coming  in  the 
divine  order,  before  the  birth  of  the  spirit.  It  is  cer- 
tain that  Christ's  baptism,  though  accompanied  by 
water,  was  a  spiritual  one,  for  the  heavens  being 
opened,  the  Spirit  of  God  descended  like  a  dove, 
and  lighted  upon  him.  From  this  event  commenced 
his  divine  career  among  men." 

"  But  why  was  he  circumcised,  if  the  first  act  of  his 
baptism,  namely,  that  of  water,  was  typical  of  that 
rite?"  pursued  Israel. 

"  While  subject  unto  his  parents,  he  deported  him- 
self like  a  natural  child,  and  was  subject  to  the  natural 
rite  ;  but  when  he  assumed  his  divine  mission,  he  insti- 
tuted the  spiritual  nature  of  the  natural  baptism. 
Hence,  the  special  spiritual  manifestation  from 
heaven. 


66  AMONG   THE    CONGREGATIONALISTS. 

Israel  looked  as  though  not  perfectly  satisfied,  but 
he  forbore  to  follow  his  questions  in  that  line  of  diffi- 
culty. His  next  words  were:  "The  Baptists  assert, 
as  I  think  with  good  reason,  that  there  is  not  a  single 
instance  of  infant  baptism  in  the  Scriptures." 

u  We  also  assert,  with  no  less  confidence,  that  the 
children  of  proselytes  to  the  faith  of  the  Gospel  were 
baptized,  with  their  parents,  by  the  apostles,"  answered 
the  teacher. 

"  But  you  will  hardly  venture  to  claim  an  explicit 
mention  of  a  fcase  of  the  baptism  of  a  child,"  continued 
Israel,  smiling  triumphantly. 

"  That  there  is  no  mention  of  the  baptism  of  one  of 
the  twelve  apostles  is  no  argument  against  the  validity 
or  universality  of  baptism  in  the  apostolic  churches. 
Or  yet  is  it  any  proof  of  their  being  under  no  necessity 
for  regeneration,  because  no  relation  of  the  conversion  of 
any  of  the  twelve  is  found,  other  than  their  being  called 
or  chosen,  and  accepting  their  commission  by  the 
external  act.  It  is  rather  a  proof  of  the  universality  of 
the  custom  of  infant  baptism,  and  not  less  of  its 
approval  by  Christ ;  else,  he  would  have  somewhere 
brought  his  condemnation  upon  it.  On  the  contrary, 
the  Saviour  decidedly  manifested  his  gracious  love  of 
children  by  taking  them  in  his  arms  and  blessing 
them.  Observe,  he  never  baptized  adults ;  but  he 
deigned  to  perform  this  act  of  condescension,  and 
taught  the  ambitious  disciples  to  receive  the  little 
child  in  his  name.  One  of  the  evangelists  says 
that  Jesus  called  a  little  child  unto  him,  and  set 
him  in  the  midst  of  them,  and  said,  Verily  I  say 
unto  you,  except  ye  be  converted  and  become  as  little 


IN    A    CONGREGATIONAL    SUNDAY    SCHOOL.  67 

children,  ye  shall  not  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
heaven. 

"  From  this,  we  have  a  right  to  infer  that  Christ  con- 
sidered the  little  child  a  more  meet  disciple  of  his 
kingdom  than  any  of  his  adult  followers.  And  lest 
this  humble  pattern  should  be  undervalued,  he  adds, 
'  Take  heed  that  ye  despise  not  one  of  these  little 
ones  :  for  I  say  unto  you,  that  in  heaven  their  angels 
do  always  behold  the  face  of  my  Father  which  is  in 
heaven.' 

"For  myself,"  he  continued,  "were  I  the  veriest 
believer  of  the  Baptist  doctrines,  I  should  not  dare 
despise,  or  in  any  wise  underrate,  the  baptism  of  an 
infant,  were  there  no  other  portion  of  Holy  Writ  in 
proof  of  the  membership  of  children  of  the  Christian 
Church." 

"  If  there  were  as  clear  evidence  of  the  baptism  of 
children  as  of  their  blessing  and  reception  to  Christ's 
favor,  it  would  be  more  satisfactory  to  me,"  said 
Israel.  "  I  have  thought  these  passages  inculcated  a 
lesson  of  humility  to  all  Christians,  however  eminent, 
rather  than  the  obligation  of  the  administration  of  a 
rite  to  children  —  like  those  other  words  of  Christ, 
'  Whosoever  will  be  greatest  among  you,  let  him  be  as 
the  younger.' " 

"We  do  find,  however,"  said  the  teacher,  "that 
Lydia  and  her  household  were  baptized,  although  no 
mention  is  made  of  any  but  herself  being  a  believer  ;  — 
'  whose  heart  the  Lord  opened,  that  she  attended  unto 
the  things  which  were  spoken  of  Paul.'  After 
their  baptism,  she  said,  '  If  ye  have  judged  me  to  be 
faithful  to  the  Lord  (notary),  come  into  my  house  and 


'•^  AMONG   THE   CONGREGATIONALISTS. 

abide  there.'  Here  it  appears  that  she  bore  the  re- 
sponsibility of  the  faith  of  all  her  household.  Had  all 
of  these  been  adults  and  capable  of  an  independent  act 
«>t"  taith,  she,  a  woman  of  those  days,  would  not  have 
used  this  language.  The  household  of  Stephanas 
was  also  baptized.  Paul  said  unto  the  jailer,  '  Believe 
on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved,  and 
thine  house.'  As  he  had  then  seen  only  the  jailer,  he 
could  not  have  known  whether  his  household  included 
anv  children  too  young  to  understand  the  faith  he 
afterwards  preached  to  them.  The  condition  of  the 
salvation  of  his  household  was  only  his  own  faith." 

"  If  you  bring  out  so  much  stress  upon  the  faith  of 
parents  and  heads  of  families,  where  is  the  encourage- 
ment for  the  children  of  the  evil  and  untoward  gener- 
ation?" inquired  a  member  of  the  class. 

"  St.  Paul  to  the  Ephesians  answers  your  question," 
said  the  teacher,  "  in  the  second  chapter,  eleventh, 
twelfth  and  thirteenth  verses  :  '  Wherefore  remember, 
that  ye  being  in  time  past  Gentiles  in  the  flesh,  who 
are  called  Uncircumcision  by  that  which  is  called  the 
Circumcision  in  the  flesh  made  by  hands,  that  at 
that  time  ye  were  without  Christ,  being  aliens  from 
the  commonwealth  of  Israel,  and  strangers  from  the 
covenants  of  promise,  having  no  hope,  and  without 
God  in  the  world :  but  now  in  Christ  Jesus  ye  who 
sometimes  were  far  off  are  made  nigh  by  the  blood 
of  Christ:  " 

"  I  remember  being  present  at  the  funeral  of  an 
infant,  at  which  a  minister  of  your  communion  offici- 
ated," spoke  Israel,  "  and  that,  in  his  address  to  the 
mourners,  he  offered  the  consolation  of  the  safety  of 


IN   A    CONGREGATIONAL    SUNDAV    SCHOOL.          69 

their  departed  one,  since  it  ivas  the  child  of  baptized 
believers.  It  occurred  to  me  then,  ought  there  to  be 
any  doubt  respecting  the  salvation  of  an  infant  of  the 
unbaptized  unbelievers.  May  I  ask  your  opinion  upon 
this  question  ?  " 

"It  is  not  for  me  or  any  other  to  pronounce  who 
is  safe  and  who  is  not,"  answered  the  clergyman ; 
"  yet  we  are  permitted,  with  all  saints,  to  search  the 
Scriptures  for  the  grounds  of  our  faith.  Paul  says, 
'  For  this  cause  I  bow  my  knees  unto  the  Father  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  of  whom  the  whole  family  in 
heaven  and  earth  is  named.'  Christ  died  for  all,  that 
all  through  him  might  be  saved.  All  are  therefore 
safe  who  do  not  refuse  to  accept  the  provisions  of  the 
efficacy  of  his  death  —  the  salvation  through  him. 
The  infant  cannot  choose  nor  refuse.  He  is  there- 
fore safe,  as  a  member  of  the  whole  family  of  God. 
I  do  not  recognize  any  distinction  between  the  infants 
of  the  Circumcision  or  the  Uncircumcision  —  the 
church  or  the  world.  But  I  am  only  an  individual, 
not  the  exponent  of  the  whole  of  my  church." 

Here  the  session  ended. 


70  AMONG    THE    CONOREGATIONALISTS. 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE    BAPTISM    BY    ASPERSION. 

THAT  afternoon,  in  the  church,  Israel  witnessed  the 
baptism  of  children.  After  the  ordinary  preliminary 
exercises,  the  minister  descended  the  pulpit  steps  and 
stood  near  the  table,  on  which  was  a  small  silver  basin 
containing  water.  A  father  and  mother  came  for- 
ward, the  former  holding  an  infant  of  months,  while 
the  mother  led  a  little  boy,  of  apparently  three  years. 

These  persons  were  of  a  sober  countenance,  and 
had  an  expression  of  undoubting  belief  in  the  act  in 
which  they  were  engaging.  They  seemed  to  realize 
the  peculiar  blessings  of  the  Abrahamic  covenant. 
The  curse  contained  in  the  words,  "Whatsoever  is 
not  of  faith  is  sin,"  was  causeless  to  them  in  this 
baptism. 

The  infant  wore  a  long  dress  of  white  cashmere, 
wrought  heavily  with  white  silk ;  the  little  boy,  a 
blue  coat,  much  braided.  The  first  reminded  Israel 
of  the  cherub  of  cunning  work  in  the  Tabernacle  ;  the 
other,  of  Hannah's  child,  who  appeared  in  the  temple 
in  a  new  coat. 

And  as  of  old  did  God  promise  to  meet  His  people 
and  commune  with  them  from  above  the  mercy-seat, 
and  between  the  cherubim  which  are  upon  the  ark 
of  the  testimony,  now  did  His  presence  appear  to 


THE    BAPTISM    BY    ASPERSION.  J I 

come  between  these  children  and  meet  their  parents 
with  .all  in  that  congregation  who,  in  like  manner, 
believed. 

The  officiating  clergyman,  who  looked  like  a  reverend 
man  of  wisdom,  addressed  a  few  words  to  the  parents 
upon  their  duty  and  obligation  as  persons  responsible 
for  the  Christian  nurture  of  their  children  —  the  cur- 
rent of  which  words  was  somewhat  marred  by  the  ripple 
of  wailing  made  by  the  babe.  These  discords  faith- 
fully represented  the  earthy  element  in  every  mundane 
scene,  however  heavenly  and  beautiful. 

Israel  said  to  himself,  "  The  baby  has  been  eating 
from  the  dish  at  the  feast  of  Clodius,  which  was  made 
of  the  costliest  singing-birds." 

The  minister  took  the  infant  in  his  own  arms,  and 
having  exchanged  words  with  the  father  in  a  low 
voice,  placed  water  upon  the  forehead  of  the  babe 
and  said,  "  Harriet  Newell  Payson,  I  baptize  you 
into  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of 
the  Holy  Ghost." 

The  little  boy  was  then  baptized  by  the  name  of 
Edwards  Theodore.  Israel  noticed  that  he  was  very 
fair,  with  light,  delicate  locks  falling  upon  his  waxen 
neck.  His  unquestioning  blue  eyes  looked  like  myrtle 
blossoms.  He  seemed  like  a  young  ear  of  corn 
which  ripens  among  the  white  mulberry  shades  of 
Padua. 

Until  this  moment,  he  had  not  observed  from  his 
position  another  scene,  in  the  background  of  this 
picture.  There  now  drew  near  a  woman  advanced 
in  years,  into  whose  bruised  hand  the  Lord  had  put 
the  cup  of  trembling.  She  wore  deep  mourning, 


72  AMONG    THE    CONGREGATIONALISTS. 

though  it  was  poor  and  rusty  ;  she  had  outlived  many 
of  her  kindred,  and  the  last  one  who  had  gone  hence 
was  the  only  son,  the  staff  of  her  declining  years. 
He  had  starved  to  death  at  Andersonville. 

Was  it  any  marvel  that  her  head  was  bowed,  her 
eyes  often  filling  with  tears  and  her  motions  waver- 
ing? "Afflicted  and  drunken,  but  not  with  wine!" 
Even  yet,  she  heard  the  words  which  had  said  to  her 
soul,  "  Bow  down,  that  we  may  go  over." 

But  why  is  she  here? 

She  leads  a  boy  of  seven  or  eight  summers,  or  rather 
winters  —  her  only  grandson,  —  the  remnant  of  the 
dead  hope  —  the  living  answer  to  the  Lord's  question, 
"  By  whom  shall  I  comfort  thee?" 

Precious  lamb  of  the  pitying  Saviour's  fold ! 
Angels  shall  feed  thee  !  ministering  ones  shall  walk 
at  thy  side ! 

The  boy  has  an  old  face,  almost  severe  in  its  lines  of 
thought  and  woe.  Life  has  already  taught  him  the 
lessons  of  sternest  design,  sharpest  finish. 

He  knows  what  it  is  to  be  hungry,  to  be  very  cold, 
to  weep  such  tears  as  they  keep  in  Vendome,  impris- 
oned in  a  crystal  phial,  because  the  Saviour  shed 
them,  as  tradition  teaches.  He  grows  in  a  shadow  — 
.not  of  the  white  mulberry-trees  of  sunny  lands,  but  of 
the  sighing  pines  and  hemlocks  laden  with  the  ice  of 
midwinter.  But  through -their  branches  he  sees  the 
same  stars  in  the  heavens  that  shine  over  the  mulberry- 
trees. 

Praise  God ! 

The  minister  speaks  words  of  consolation  and  aspi- 
ration to  the  poor  old  grandmother,  and  words  of 


THE    BAPTISM    BY    ASPERSION.  73 

advice  and  encouragement  to  her  boy  —  as  though 
they  were  regnant  ones,  clothed  in  shining  raiment. 
Then  he  tenderly  baptizes  the  child,  not  only  into  the 
Triune  Name,  but  into  that  of  the  martyred  parent  of 
Andersonville.  Many  eyes  fill  with  tears.  The 
grandmother  covers  her  face.  But  the  boy  moves 
not.  His  dark,  speaking  eyes,  "like  the  eyes  of  those 
who  can  see  the  dead,"  look  down  at  the  feet  of  the 
minister,  while  the  long  lashes  quiver  a  little  upon 
the  brown,  gaunt  cheek. 

It  is  certain  that  he  takes  into  his  soul  every  word 
uttered  on  that  solemn  occasion.  His  long  head  will 
suffer  no  shade  of  the  shifting  scene  to  escape.  Very 
plain  is  the  poor  boy,  but  he  is  dowered.  His  father 
would  have  been  a  man  of  books  as  well  as  of  deeds, 
had  he  lived,  for  the  mother  had  doled  out  the  last  of 
her  substance  to  help  him  on  in  his  student  career, 
and  after.  He  had  helped  himself  likewise,  so  that  it 
wanted  but  a  little  time  for  him  to  have  found  a 
place  which  would  have  repaid  all  the  efforts  with 
interest. 

Now  there  was  only  this  child.  He  was  conse- 
crated to  God  publicly  to-day,  privately  from  the  hour 
of  his  birth,  when  the  mother  had  uttered  a  prayer  for 
him  and  died,  —  when  the  father  had  sent  afar  off  his 
latest  thought  from  the  edges  of  the  lucid  intervals  of 
frantic  starvation,  —  when  the  grandmother  -had  taken 
the  child  to  her  heart,  —  from  the  earliest  moment  to 
the  present. 

There  was  now,  like  a  coming  breath  of  joy  of  the 
witnessing  angels  of  heaven  over  these  children  of 
Zion,  —  an  awakening  of  the  organ.  A  strain  of 


74  AMONG    TMK    CONGREGAT10NALISTS. 

itic-tl-iliU-,  tenderness,  a  Christ-like  compassion,  then  an 
exultant  piean  filled  all  that  house  of  God,  —  and 
diol  away  as  docs  the  south  wind  over  an  Oriental 
garden  of  spices  —  the  garden,  typical  of  the  Church  ; 
—  then  the  voice  of  the  minister  was  heard  in 
prayer. 

The  prayer  arose  higher,  as  he  talked  with  the 
Divine  Ones,  on  wings  of  the  fire  of  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

He  prayed  to  God. 

Christ  interceded.  And  the  people  listened,  some 
to  pray,  others  to  fear,  yet  others  to  wonder. 

Israel  said  to  himself,  "  How  amiable  are  thy 
tabernacles,  O  Lord  of  Hosts  !  " 

That  evening,  he  read  with  new  appreciation  the 
following  words,  found  in  a  book  entitled  "  Elim,  or 
Hymns  of  Holy  Refreshment : "  — 

CHRIST    AND    THE   LITTLE   ONES. 

"The  Master  has  come  over  Jordan," 
Said  Hannah,  the  mother,  one  day; 

"  Is  healing  the  people  who  throng  Him 
With  a  touch  of  His  finger,  they  say. 

"And  now  I  shall  carry  the  children,  — 

Little  Rachel,  and  Samuel,  and  John ; 
I  shall  carry  the  baby,  Esther, 
For  the  Lord  to  look  upon." 

The  father  looked  at  her  kindly, 

But  he  shook  his  head  and  smiled; 
"Now  who  but  a  doting  mother 
Would  think  of  a  thing  so  wild! 


THE    BAPTISM    BY    ASPERSION.  75 

"  If  the  children  were  tortured  by  demons, 

Or  dying  of  fever,  'twere  well ; 
Or  had  they  the  taint  of  the  leper, 
Like  many  in  Israel." 

"  Nay,  do  not  hinder  me,  Nathan, 

I  feel  such  a  burden  of  care ; 
If  I  carry  it  to  the  Master, 

Perhaps  I  shall  leave  it  there. 

"  If  He  lay  his  hand  on  the  children, 
My  heart  will  be  lighter,  I  know; 
For  a  blessing  forever  and  ever 
Will  follow  them  as  they  go." 

So  over  the  hills  of  Judah, 

Along  by  the  vine-rows  green, 
With  Esther  asleep  on  her  bosom, 

And  Rachel  her  brothers  between ; 

'Mong  the  people  who  hung  on  His  teaching, 
Or  waited  His  touch  and  His  word, 

Through  the  row  of  proud  Pharisees  listening, 
She  pressed  to  the  feet  of  the  Lord. 

"  Now  why  shouldst  thou  hinder  the  Master," 

Said  Peter,  "with  children  like  these? 
Seest  not  how  from  morning  till  evening 
He  teacheth,  and  healeth  disease?" 

Then  Christ  said,  "  Forbid  not  the  children, 

Permit  them  to  come  unto  me ;  " 
And  He  took  in  His  arms  little  Esther, 

And  Rachel  He  set  on  His  knee; 

And  the  heavy  heart  of  the  mother 

Was  lifted  all  earth-care  above, 
As  He  laid  His  hand  on  the  brothers, 

And  blest  them  with  tenderest  lovej 


76  AMONG    THE   CONGREGATIONALISTS. 

As  He  said  of  the  babes  in  His  bosom, 

"  Of  such  are  the  kingdom  of  heaven ; ' 
And  strength  for  all  duty  and  trial, 
That  hour  to  her  spirit  was  given. 


TALK  WITH  CONGREGATIONAL  CLERGYMEN.   77 


CHAPTER  IV. 

TALK  WITH  CONGREGATIONAL  CLERGYMEN. 

THE  next  day,  Israel  called  at  the  study  of  the  cler- 
gyman whose  ministrations  he  had  attended  for  some 
Sundays  previous. 

This  minister  was  a  leading  one  of  the  city  of 
Israel's  present  residence,  a  graduate  of  Yale  College 
and  of  Andover  Theological  Seminary,  a  man  of 
ancient  and  honorable  ancestry,  (as  is  very  desirable 
for  a  representative  of  a  sect  which  lays  its  finger 
reverently  upon  covenants  extending  back  to  Adam,) 
and  a  fair  exponent  of  the  right  wing  of  Congrega- 
tionalism, in  that  section. 

The  left  wing  of  that  sect  has  ministers  of  another 
type  ;  leaders  of  people  are  these  also,  but  a  different 
class.  A  hearer  would  not  know  precisely  who  these 
are  or  what  they  believe,  not  even  after  examining 
their  own  record.  But  the  left  wing  preachers  are 
always  in  the  high  enjoyment  of  popularity. 

The  Reverend  Charles  Ingersoll  was  not  a  Doctor 
of  Divinity.  Had  he  been  a  minister  of  either  of 
two  or  three  other  sects,  his  reputation  would  have 
secured  a  thrice  dubbing  of  the  human-divine  degree  ; 
but  this  denomination  is  much  more  conservative  in 
the  bestowment  of  their  honors  than  some  others. 
He  was  none  the  less  a  man  to  be  revered. 


78  AMONG   THE   CONGREGATIONALISTS. 

He  received  Israel  with  urbanity,  yet  with  a  certain 
formality  and  reservation  of  confidence  that  often 
characterize  these  persons  with  strangers. 

After  some  circumlocution,  the  difficulty  in  hand 
transpired. 

"  Until  recently,"  said  Israel,  "  I  have  thought  of 
uniting  with  the  Baptists,  inferring  from  the  instruc- 
tion received  from  them,  that  they  and  they  only, 
were  right;  accident  brought  me  among  your 
people,  of  which  I  was  glad,  as  I  had  been  recom- 
mended to  examine  more  than  one  side  of  a  question 
so  vital  to  one's  interest  as  the  church  with  which  to 
unite." 

The  clergyman  levelled  his  eye  upon  Israel,  with  the 
expression  which  a  man  wears  who  believes  in  high 
Calvinism,  with  a  low  estimate  of  such  questions  as 
Woman's  Rights  and  the  rights  of  all  unprivileged 
classes. 

"  If  I  may  trouble  you  to  assist  me  a  little  in  niy 
investigations,  sir,  I  shall  be  thankful,"  continued 
Israel. 

"What  can  I  do  for  you?"  asked  Mr.  Ingersoll, 
very  quietly  and  with  a  half-suppressed  smile. 

Israel  noticed  this  look,  and  felt  that  he  was  not 
"  appreciated,"  as  certain  sensitive  and  half-sustained 
people  say ;  but  he  had  too  much  breadth  of  calibre, 
too  deep  a  sense  of  the  magnitude  of  the  work  in 
which  he  was  engaged,  to  wholly  abandon  himself  to 
this  painful  consciousness.  A  young  man  with  a  sin- 
cere purpose  carries  a  power  with  him,  not  to  be 
vanquished  in  any  slight  encounter,  provided  this 
good  seed  has  been  sown  on  the  soil  of  common  sense. 


TALK  WITH  CONGREGATIONAL  CLERGYMEN.   79 

"Then  you  have  thought  of  uniting  with  the  Bap- 
tists?" spoke  the  clergyman. 

"  To  listen  only  to  their  words  of  themselves  and 
their  authority,  as  also  of  others  and  their  authority,  a 
youth  like  myself  might  easily  be  persuaded  that  way," 
replied  Israel. 

"  What  did  they  teach  you  about  us?"  continued  the 
clergyman,  extending  his  hand  upon  the  open  book 
before  him  with  a  certain  indescribable  decision. 

"  That  you  had  no  authority  in  the  Bible  for  your 
mode  of  baptism,  and  for  the  baptism  of  children  who 
were  not  believers.  But  this  point  has  been  con- 
sidered by  my  Sunday  School  teacher,  in  the  school 
connected  with  your  church.  That  the  practice  of 
your  sect  in  this  regard  dates  back  but  a  short  time, 
comparatively  into  antiquity,  the  only  regular  baptism 
throughout  the  Christian  world  for  more  than  a  thou- 
sand years  being  immersion,  and  that"  — 

"Stay,"  here  spoke  Mr.  Ingersoll ;  "let  us  pause  to 
consider  this  objection,  before  passing  to  others." 

He  took  down  a  book  from  his  library,  and  opening 
it,  said,  "Irenaeus,  Bishop  of  Lyons,  who  was  a 
disciple  of  Polycarp  (who  was  a  disciple  of  John  the 
Evangelist),  and,  as  some  believe,  was  born  before 
the  death  of  the  latter,  has  left  these  words."  He 
read,  "  Christ  came  to  save  all  persons  through  him- 
self—  all,  I  say,  who  through  him  are  regenerated 
unto  God  ;  infants  and  little  ones,  and  children  and 
youth,  and  the  aged.  Therefore  he  passed  through 
the  several  stages  of  life,  being  made  an  infant  for 
infants,  that  he  might  sanctify  infants  ;  and  for  little 
ones,  a  little  one,  to  sanctify  them  of  that  age." 


80  AMONG    THE    CONGREGATIONALISTS. 

Next,  from  another  book,  he  read  as  follows : 
44  Listen  to  Tertullian.  '  According  to  the  condition, 
disposition,  and  age  of  each,  the  delay  of  baptism 
is  peculiarly  advantageous,  especially  in  the  case  of 
little  children  (parvulos).  Why  should  the  godfathers 
be  brought  into  danger?  For  they  may  fail  by  death 
to  fulfil  their  promises,  or  through  the  perverseness  of 
the  child.  Our  Lord  indeed  says,  Forbid  them  not 
to  come  unto  me.  Let  them  come,  then,  when  of 
adult  age.  Let  them  come  when  they  can  learn ; 
when  they  are  taught  why  they  come.  Let  them 
become  Christians  when  they  shall  have  learned 
Christ.  Why  hasten  that  innocent  age  to  the  forgive- 
ness of  sins  ? ' 

44  Tertullian  was  born  about  160,  at  Carthage.  His 
career  was  less  than  a  century  of  the  apostolic  age. 
Yet  you  will  notice  that  he  speaks  of  infant  baptism 
as  a  prevailing  custom  of  the  churches.  If  it  was 
contrary  to  the  authority  of  Scripture  and  the  customs 
of  the  early  Church,  why  did  he  not  bring  these  state- 
ments as  arguments  against  it?  It  is  certain,  from  his 
words,  that  the  practice  of  infant  baptism  was  a 
general  one  in  his  day,  and  he  does  not  allude  to  it  as 
an  innovation,  or  as  Contrary  to  the  teachings  of 
Christ." 

"  It  seems  hardly  possible,"  here  commented  Israel, 
44  that,  with  such  facts  as  these  upon  the  common  page 
of  history,  persons  who  profess  to  be  reliable  critics 
of  the  present  day  can  boldly  utter  such  statements  as 
those  to  which  I  have  referred  respecting  the  origin 
of  infant  sprinkling." 

44  Let  us  turn  to  Origen,"  said  the  minister.     "  He, 


TALK   WITH    CONGREGATIONAL    CLERGYMEN.       8 1 

as  you  may  remember,  was  born  in  185,  at  Alexan- 
dria. He  was  a  man  of  profound  learning,  studied 
philosophy  under  Ammonius,  and  theology  under 
Clemens  Alexandrinus.  He  travelled  extensively,  so 
that  he  was  acquainted  with  the  churches  in  every 
country.  These  are  his  words :  '  Little  children  are 
baptized  agreeably  to  the  usage  of  the  Church ;  the 
Church  received  it  as  a  tradition  from  the  Apostles  that 
baptism  should  be  administered  to  children.'  Accord- 
ing to  Eusebius,  Origen  received  this  instruction  from 
his  pious  ancestry,  who  of  the  second  or  third  genera- 
tion from  him  must  have  been  contemporaries  with 
the  Apostles. 

"  We  learn  also  from  history,"  continued  Mr.  Inger- 
soll,  "  that  in  the  time  of  Cyprian,  who  was  converted 
to  Christianity  about  A.  D.  246,  and  afterwards  became 
Bishop  of  Carthage,  that  there  arose  a  query  in  the 
African  churches  whether  a  child  might  be  baptized 
before  the  eighth  day  or  not." 

He  opened  a  book  to  this  item,  and  read,  "  '  Fidus, 
a  country  bishop,  referred  the  inquiry  to  a  council  of 
sixty-six  bishops,  convened  under  Cyprian,  A.  D.  253, 
for  their  opinion.  To  this  inquiry  they  reply  at  length, 
delivering  it  as  their  unanimous  opinion  that  baptism 
may,  with  propriety,  be  administered  at  any  time  pre- 
vious to  the  eighth  day.' 

"If  the  practice  was  altogether  wrong,  why  was 
not  "some  objection  raised  on  an  occasion  so  favorable 
for  the  adjustment  of  difficulties  as  a  council  of 
bishops?  On  the  contrary,  the  practice  was  not  only 
defended,  but  left  as  a  rite  which  was  obligatory,"  said 
the  minister. 

6 


82  AMONG    THE    CONGREGATIONALISTS. 

"St.  Augustine,  who  spent  the  greater  part  of  his 
life  in  conti<>\ei.-y,  and  whose  works  form '  eleven 
folio  volumes,  has  left  many  passages  to  show  that 
this  rite  was  a  common  and  established  usage  of  the 
Church.  His  words  are  :  '  The  custom  of  our  mother- 
church,  in  baptizing  little  children,  is  by  no  means 
to  be  disregarded,  nor  accounted  as  in  any  measure 
superfluous.  Neither,  indeed,  is  it  to"  be  regarded  as 
any  other  than  an  apostolical  tradition.'  Of  this,  he 
also  writes,  '  Quod  universa  tenet  ecclesia  nee  con- 
ciliis  institutum,  scd  semper  retentum.' 

"  This  ancient  father  was  born  in  354.  So  much, 
and  more,  may  be  cited  in  reply  to  the  Baptist 
accusation  of  the  lack  of  antiquity  of  our  peculiar 
rite." 

"Here,"  observed  Israel,  "the  homely  saying  is 
verified  :  '  One  story  is  good  till  another  is  told.' " 

"There  is  nothing  in  regard  to  these  things  like 
reading  for  yourself,  and  not  trusting  to  the  statements 
of  any  man,"  said  the  clergyman. 

At  this  juncture  a  low  knock  upon  the  door  arrested 
the  conversation.  The  servant  showed  in  a  gentleman 
whom  Mr.  Ingersoll  introduced  to  Israel  as  the  Rev. 
Mr.  O'Hara,  pastor  of  the  third  Orthodox  Congrega- 
tional Church  of  that  city. 

The  Reverend  O'Hara  was  a  man  of  the  left  wing 
of  Congregationalism,  as  at  present  represented'  in 
America,  and  especially  in  its  flourishing  parishes. 
He  was  considered  a  great  orator,  a  good  fellow  in 
the  common  acceptation  of  that  term,  and  a  decidedly 
rising  man,  not  only  in  his  profession,  but  in  the 


TALK    WITH    CONGREGATIONAL    CLERGYMEN.       83 

general  ways  and  means  of  getting  ahead  in  this 
world. 

His  record  as  to  antecedents  of  piety  and  educa- 
tion was  rather  mystical.  People  of  limited  culture 
thought  he  used  "  splendid  language,"  and  was  "  a  most 
interesting  preacher."  Conversions,  according  to  the 
standard  of  the  strictest  of  his  sect,  were  very  rare 
under  his  ministrations,  though  he  was  not  without  a 
record  of  revivals. 

As  he  drew  crowded  houses,  like  any  "star,"  he 
was  not  meddled  with  by  the  more  conservative. 
But  they  thought  he  was  rather  coarse,  and  that  it 
was  strange  he  came  to  be  a  Congregationalist.  Some 
of  these  privately  sniffed  "a  man  of  straw"  under 
his  coat ;  but  all  great  geniuses  have  their  enemies. 
By  degrees,  the  topic  of  that  morning  came  to  Mr. 
O'Hara's  knowledge,  and  the  conversation  was 
resumed. 

"The  Baptists,"  said  he,  "are  a  sect  who  are 
very  peculiar.  They  have  no  liberal  ideas.  In  fact, 
they  remind  one  of  the  ram  of  Daniel's  vision.  That 
ram,  you  know,  had  two  horns,  and  the  two  horns 
were  high  ;  but  one  was  higher  than  the  other,  and  the 
higher  came  up  last.  These  two  horns  of  the  Baptist 
ram  are  immersion  and  close  communion" 

"Which  is  the  higher  horn?"  asked  Mr.  Ingersoll. 

"  O,  close  communion,  among  our  American  Bap- 
tists," he  answered,  laughing  heartily,  while  he  used 
his  knife  industriously  upon  his  finger  nails. 

"Their  arguments  upon  this  point  of  their  belief  are 
quite  formidable,"  remarked  Israel. 

"Formidable  as  the   ram's   horn.     With   this,  and 


84  AMONG    THE    CONGREGATIONALISTS. 

dipping  all  over,  they  push  in  all  directions,  and  think 
themselves  very  great." 

"  Let  me  see,"  said  Mr.  Ingersoll,  "  I  don't  exactly 
remember  the  history  of  that  beast  of  the  prophet's 
vision."  He  opened  the  Bible  on  the  table  before  him. 

"  I  can  tell  you,"  continued  O'Hara,  tipping  back 
his  chair  and  elevating  his  hands  ;  "there  came  along  a 
goat  from  the  West,  —  the  West  has  always  been  a 
great  place  for  conquerors,  you  see,  —  and  he  saw  the 
ram  with  the  two  horns  standing  before  the  river, — 
there  you  have  the  water  Baptists  again,  —  and  he 
pitched  into  him,  in  the  fury  of  his  power,  with  his 
one  horn  (which  is  infant  sprinkling),  and  busted  the 
ram  all  up  into  nobody,  breaking  his  two  horns,  crack- 
ing his  skull,  and  casting  him  down  to  the  ground." 

Israel  laughed,  though  not  heartily.  Mr.  Ingersoll 
hardly  smiled,  while  he  continued  examining  the 
Bible.  At  length  he  said  quietly,  "You  dispose 
of  your  Baptist  brethren  rather  summarily." 

"  Not  a  whit  more  than  they  dispose  of  us.  To 
hear  them  preach  about  the  errors  of  people  who  do 
not  dip,  and  of  their  own  righteousness  in  keeping  the 
commandments  in  their  big  basins  of  baptisteries 
while  they  sanctimoniously  exclude  all  others  from 
their  sacrament-table,  you  would  think  that 'filthy  rags 
ought  to  rise  ten  per  cent,  so  as  to  bring  down  the 
price  of  all  kinds  of  paper  used  for  certificates  of 
church  membership." 

"I  must  say,  that  I  have  thought  the  Baptists 
far  more  careful  about  their  terms  of  communion  on 
the  ground  of  immersion  than  they  are  of  morality," 
said  Mr.  Ingersoll. 


TALK    WITH    CONGREGATIONAL    CLERGYMEN.      85 

"  They  know  full  well  that  the  moment  they  let 
down  their  bars  of  communion,  they  make  void  their 
law  in  regard  to  dipping,  and  their  existence  in  this 
country  is  at  an  end.  Besides,  it  is  in  conformity  to 
their  likes  and  dislikes,  to  draw  such  small  cords 
around  their  little,  narrow,  contracted  folds.  If  their 
people  were  more  enlightened,  they  could  not  keep 
them  penned  up  in  that  shape,  like  simple  sheep," 
Mr.  O'Hara  continued,  while  he  took  several  new 
positions  for  his  feet  and  hands. 

"  There  is  no  Scripture  authority  for  their  doctrine 
of  close  communion,"  said  Mr.  Ingersoll,  addressing 
himself  now  to  Israel ;  "  on  the  contrary,  many  words 
of  our  Saviour  go  to  inculcate  the  unity  and  fellow- 
ship of  all  his  disciples  of  all  his  folds." 

"That  is  too  evident  to  need  any  -proof,"  said 
O'Hara  ;  "  nobody  but  descendants  of  the  Anabaptists, 
who  used  to  run  about  the  streets  of  Munster  naked, 
would  think  of  setting  up  any  such  ridiculous  doctrine 
as  close  communion  of  those  who  have  been  all  over 
in  the  water,  in  one  particular  little  sect,  —  as  though 
they  were  the  infallible  Church  of  God." 

"  But  they  have  many  names  of  which  to  boast 
among  their  sect,"  said  Israel,  "  notwithstanding  their 
cousinship  to  the  Anabaptists." 

"  O  yes,  what  sect  has  not?  There  was  old  Roger 
Williams,  a  turn-coat  from  the  Church  of  England 
and  also  from  Congregationalism.  He  it  was  [this 
he  said  very  emphatically]  u>ho  refused  to  hold  com- 
munion -with  the  Church  of  Boston  because  they 
'would  not  make  a  confession  of  guilt  for  having 
communed  with  the  Episcopal  Church  while  they 


86  AMONG    THE    CONGREGATIONALISTS. 

•were  in  England.  A  beautiful  man  was  he  to  start 
close  communion  in  America  !  Very  consistent  were 
his  professions  of  toleration  to  all  religions !  " 

44  But  he  is  quoted  by  the  Baptists  and  also  by 
others,  as  the  pioneer  of  the  system  of  pure  religious 
toleration,"  said  Israel. 

"  Persons  with  such  a  limited  knowledge  of  history 
as  those  prove  themselves  to  be,  who  make  such  grave 
falsities  respecting  the  origin  of  infant  baptism,  may 
be  pardoned  for  a  parallel  inaccuracy  respecting  the 
originator  of  religious  toleration,"  said  O'Hara. 
"  Mackintosh  says,"  he  went  on,  "' The  government 
of  Cromwell  made  as  near  approach  to  general  toler- 
ation as  public  prejudice  would  endure ;  and  Sir 
Henry  Vane,  an  Independent,  was  probably  the  first 
who  laid  down  with  perfect  precision  the  inviolable 
rights  of  conscience,  and  the  exemption  of  religion 
from  all  civil  authority.'  But  Roger  Williams  has 
an  undisputed  claim  as  the  originator  of  a  free  form 
of  baptism  ;  in  that  he  got  Ezekiel  Holyman,  a  man 
who  had  not  been  baptized,  to  dip  him  all  over,  that 
he  might  start  the  Baptists  in  Rhode  Island.  The 
man's  name  answered  his  conscience  as  a  qualified 
administrator  of  the  ordinance,  I  conclude.  Roger 
Williams  probably  supplied  Tom  Jefferson  with  his 
notions  of  a  republican  government  about  as  much  as 
did  another  Baptist  minister,  who  sent  him,  when 
.President,  an  enormous  cheese  made  by  his  parish- 
ioners in  Cheshire,  supply  him  with  opinions  in 
astronomy." 

Israel  no  longer  wondered  that  this  man  was  heard 
by  the  crowds. 


TALK    WITH    CONGREGATIONAL    CLERGYMEN.       87 

"  Some  have  supposed,"  said  Mr.  Ingersoll,  "  that 
the  Baptist  Church  of  Holland,  composed  of  English 
refugees,  was  perpetuated  by  means  of  their  minister, 
Mr.  Smyth,  having  baptized  himself.  This,  however, 
is  denied  by  some  authorities." 

"  Likewise,"  continued  O'Hara,  "  they  should  fol- 
low the  usage  of  the  Dark  Ages,  and  have  the  church 
bell  baptized,  that  it  might  drive  demons  out  of  the 
air  in  thundery  weather." 

"They  would  not  allow  us  Congregation alists  so 
much  antiquity  as  a  church  bell  in  the  Dark  Ages," 
said  Mr.  Ingersoll. 

"Antiquity?"  repeated  Mr.  O'Hara,  "what  supe- 
rior claim  can  the  Baptists  put  forth  to  that,  as  a  sep- 
arate church  organization  ?  There  is  no  account  of 
such  a  church  until  the  seventeenth  century.  And 
the  American  Baptists  owe  their  origin  to  the  man 
whom  we  have  just  contemplated  !" 

"May  I  inquire,"  now  spoke  Israel,  "  at  what  time 
the  Congregationalists  da.te  their  origin  as  a  sect?" 

"  As  a  separate  denomination  of  Christians,"  said 
Mr.  Ingersoll,  with  renewed  dignity,  "  we  refer  our 
foundation  to  John  Robinson,  in  1602.  He  was  the 
pastor  of  an  Independent  church  in  the  north  of 
England.  Before  that  time,  Robinson  belonged  to 
the  Brownists,  who,  at  first,  were  disciples  of  Robert 
Brown,  the  first  originator  of  the  principles  of  Inde- 
pendency, or  Congregationalism.  As  Brown  after- 
wards recanted  and  returned  to  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land, these  people  looked  to  Mr.  Robinson  as  their 
leader.  His  followers  were  not  wholly  like  the  Brown- 
ists, having  more  moderation  in  their  opinions  and 


88  AMONG    THE    CONGREGATIONALISTS. 

method  in  their  church  government.  Some  authori- 
ties state  that  the  first  Independent  or  Congregational 
church  in  England  was  established  in  1616,  by  a 
Mr.  Jacob ;  but  these  call  Mr.  Robinson  the  real 
founder  of  the  sect.  While  in  England,  this  Church 
received  much  persecution." 

"  Yes,"  interposed  Mr.  O'Hara,  "  our  people  have 
had  their  share  of  baptism  in  the  enemy's  fire." 

"Which,  I  suppose,  "said  Israel,  "means  that 
they  were  aspersed  or  sprinkled  with  the  cleansing 
element  of  opposing  ire,  while  the  Baptists  received 
similar  purification  by  a  larger  measure." 

"  You  will  have  the  goodness  to  remember  that  we 
use  figures  and  shadows  as  such,  and  by  them  mean 
the  higher  and  truer  element  of  thought,"  returned  Mr. 
O'Hara,  laughing. 

"  He  does  not  mean  that  those  early  Independents 
were  wholly  destroyed  or  completely  burned  in  the 
persecuting  fire,  as  a  people,  though  this  actually  took 
place  in  individual  instances,"  remarked  Mr.  Ingersoll. 

"As  a  people  they  got  their  garments  pretty  well 
singed  —  that  is  all,"  said  Mr.  O'Hara. 

"  Independency  then  inculcated  the  doctrine  of  the 
absolute  right  of  each  church  to  govern  itself,  'that 
regenerated  men  in  church  fellowship  should  be  left 
unfettered,  and  that  Christianity  was  a  question  be- 
tween God  and  man.'  In  1620,  the  younger  members 
of  Mr.  Robinson's  church  came  to  Plymouth  in  New 
England.  Here,  they  strove  to  avoid  the  evils  of 
extreme  Independency  as  well  as  Prelacy ;  and  they 
early  established  a  Congregational  form  of  govern- 
ment, disclaiming  the  title  of  Independent.  The 


TALK    WITH    CONGREGATIONAL    CLERGYMEN.       89 

words  of  Samuel  Mather  about  this  are :  '  The 
churches  of  New  England  are  Congregational.  They 
do  not  approve  the  name  of  Independent,  and  are 
abhorrent  from  such  principles  of  Independency  as 
would  keep  them  from  giving  an  account  of  their 
matters  to  members  of  neighboring  churches  regularly 
demanding  it  of  them.' 

"The  Puritan  Church  was  stimulated  to  seek  eman- 
cipation from  the  errors  into  which  they  might  have 
been  insensibly  drawn,  by  the  remarkable  counsel  of 
Mr.  Robinson  in  his  Fast  Sermon,  which  was  preached 
to  his  people  a  short  time  before  their  departure  for 
America." 

Mr.  Ingersoll  now  opened  an  ancient-looking  vol- 
ume, and  said,  "  Here  is  an  extract  from  that  memo- 
rable sermon  :  '  Brethren,  we  are  now  quickly  to  part 
from  one  another,  and  whether  I  may  ever  live  to  see 
your  faith  on  earth  any  more,  the  God  of  heaven  only 
knows ;  but  whether  the  Lord  hath  appointed  that  or 
not,  I  charge  you  before  God  and  his  blessed  angels, 
that  you  follow  me  no  farther  than  you  have  seen  me 
follow  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  If  God  reveal  any- 
thing to  you,  by  any  other  instrument  of  his,  be  as 
ready  to  receive  it  as  ever  you  were  to  receive  any 
truth  by  my  ministry;  for  I  am  verily  persuaded  —  I 
am  very  confident,  that  the  Lord  has  more  truth  yet 
to  break  forth  out  of  his  holy  word.' " 

"Very  sensible  that,"  here  interposed  Mr.  O'Hara, 
who  had  been  charged  by  his  ministerial  brethren  with 
heresy  upon  some  of  the  points  of  the  creed  of  his. 
church.  But  this  deflection  was  mostly  kept  concealed 
in  the  ministers'  meetings. 


90  AMONG   THE    CONGREGATIONALISTS. 

"  He  must  have  referred,  at  least  by  a  kind  of  pre- 
sentiment, to  the  Confession  of  Faith  issued  by  the 
Congregational  churches  in  1680,  entitled  'The  Cam- 
bridge and  Saybrook  Platforms,' "  said  Mr.  Ingersoll. 

"Or,"  said  Mr.  O'Hara,  "it  might  have  been  to  the 
halt-way  Covenant  of  1657,  which  taught,  '  That  it 
was  the  duty  of  those  who  came  to  the  years  of  dis- 
cretion, baptized  in  their  infancy,  to  own  the  Covenant. 
And  if  they  understood  the  grounds  of  religion,  and 
were  not  scandalous,  and  solemnly  owned  the  Cov- 
enant, giving  up  themselves  and  their  children  to  the 
Lord,  baptism  might  not  be  denied  to  their  children.' " 

This  he  said  to  offset  the  construction  of  Mr.  Inger- 
soll upon  the  words  of  John  Robinson.  Mr.  Ingersoll 
was  known  to  be  very  strict  in  his  view  of  the  neces- 
sity of  a  clear  evidence  of-  regeneration  as  one  of  the 
qualifications  for  church  membership. 

"To  continue  with  the  words  of  Mr.  Robinson," 
said  Mr.  Ingersoll,  while  the  other  minister  applied 
his  knife  with  new  vigor  to  the  sole  of  his  elevated 
boot,  "  '  I  must  also  advise  you  to  abandon,  avoid,  and 
shake  off  the  name  of  Brownist.  It  is  a  mere  nick- 
name, and  a  brand  for  the  making  religion,  and  the 
professors  of  it,  odious  to  the  Christian  world.' " 

Mr.  Ingersoll  was  an  honest  man  ;  and  if  he  had 
been  asked  what  he  had  omitted  in  this  letter  between 
the  two  paragraphs  which  he  read,  he  -would  have 
given  it.  As  it  was,  he  deemed  it  the  part  of  wisdom 
to  read  no  more.  It  remained  for  Israel  to  hear  the 
missing  and  most  remarkable  portion  from  the  lips  of 
one  who  believed  less  with  John  Calvin  than  did  Mr. 
Ingersoll. 


TALK    WITH    CONGREGATIONAL    CLERGYMEN.       91 

"Who  do  you  consider  your  most  eminent  divines?" 
asked  Israel. 

"There  are  John  Cotton,  Increase  and  Cotton 
Mather,  Thomas  Hooker,  Hopkins,  the  two  Ed- 
wardses  (father  and  son),  Bellamy,  Smalley,  Dwight  — 
among  the  earlier  writers  upon  our  faith  ;  while  among 
the  later,  it  would  be  almost  invidious  to  endeavor  to 
institute  a  suitable  comparison  of  talent  in  the  array 
of  so  many  eminent  names  as  we  have. 

"  We  consider  our  sect  to  be  foremost  in  the  educa- 
tional ranks,"  continued  Mr.  Ingersoll ;  "  we  have 
founded  the  majority  of  colleges  in  New  England 
alone,  two  theological  seminaries,  and  many  excellent 
academies.  Our  missionary  operations  are  also  second 
to  those  of  no  other  sect." 

"I  do  not  think  I  fully  understand  the  articles  of 
your  creed,  which  are  necessary  to  be  endorsed  in 
order  to  become  one  of  your  number,"  here  spoke 
Israel. 

"Our  churches  do  not  all  have  the  same  creed," 
said  Mr.  O'Hara. 

"  How  is  that?  "  asked  Israel,  somewhat  astonished  ; 
"  are  you  not  all  consociated  upon  terms  of  fraternal 
action  and  fellowship?" 

"  O,  yes ;  we  fellowship  each  other  upon  essential 
points  of  faith.  Each  church  has  a  right  to  make  or  . 
alter  its  own  creed,  however,  while  other  churches 
can  withdraw  their  fellowship,  if  they  please.  Some 
of  our  churches  have  some  modifications  of  the  views 
of  Calvin,  Hopkins,  Emmons,  or  other  standard," 
said  Mr.  O'Hara,  looking  significantly  at  his  fellow- 
laborer. 


92  AMONG    THE    CONGREOATIONALISTS. 

"  I  have  often  heard  of  Calvinism  and  Calvinistic 
churches,"  said  Israel  with  much  simplicity  of  man- 
ner ;  "but  I  never  exactly  knew  what  were  the  articles 
of  that  faith ;  I  have  heard  that  the  vital  points  might 
be  summed  up  under  the  names  of  predestination, 
particular  redemption,  total  depravity,  effectual  call- 
ing, and  final  perseverance.  I  confess  that  I  do  not 
understand  the  full  import  of  these  formidable  names." 

"Nor  do  I,"  said  Mr.  O'Hara,  drily;  "that  is  to 
say,  I  do  not  understand  them  as  John  Calvin  did. 
You  have  heard  of  the  '  Five  Points' of  Calvinism? 
Let  me  repeat  them  to  you,  verbatim" 

"  Had  we  not  better  give  this  young  man  some 
explanation  of  these  terms  in  theology,  in  order  to 
prepare  his  mind  for  the  reception  of  truth  which, 
otherwise,  might  be  objectionable  ? "  now  asked  Mr. 
Ingersoll,  with  a  slight  loss  of  his  usual  poise. 

"  I  object  to  any  private  interpretations  of  a  public 
creed,"  said  Mr.  O'Hara ;  "  if  the  creed  is  sound  and 
kind,  as  we  say  of  a  good  family  horse,  it  will  carry 
us  through  to  the  better  country,  safely  and  surely ; 
but  if  not,  why  then  let  it  fall  to  the  place  where  it 
belongs,  which  is  under  the  bridge." 

"But  then,"  persisted  Mr.  Ingersoll,  moving  un- 
easily, "there  is  a  difference  in  the  manner  of  express- 
ing the  same  truth." 

"  Here  you  have  it,"  said  Mr.  O'Hara,  beginning 
with  the  first  word  of  the  "  Five  Points,"  and  not  stop- 
ping till  he  came  to  the  last.  It  was,  in  abbrevia- 
tion, like  this :  — 

I.  "  That  God  hath  chosen  a  certain  number  of  the 
fallen  race  of  Adam,  in  Christ,  before  the  foundation 


TALK  WITH  CONGREGATIONAL  CLERGYMEN.   93 

of  the  world,  unto  eternal  glory,  according  to  His 
immutable  purpose,  and  of  His  free  grace  and  love, 
without  the  least  foresight  of  faith,  good  works,  or 
any  conditions  performed  by  the  creature,  and  that  the 
rest  of  mankind  He  was  pleased  to  pass  by,  and  ordain 
to  dishonor  and  wrath,  for  their  sins,  to  the  praise  of 
His  vindictive  justice. 

II.  "  That  though  the  death  of  Christ  be  a  most 
perfect  sacrifice  and    satisfaction  for  sins   of  infinite 
value,  and  abundantly  sufficient  to  expiate  the  sins  of 
the   whole  world  ;   and  though,  on    this  ground,   the 
Gospel  is  to  be  preached  to  all   mankind  indiscrim- 
inately ;  yet  it  was  the  will  of  God,  that  Christ,  by  the 
blood  of  the  cross,    should    efficaciously   redeem  all 
those,  and  those  only,  who  were  from  eternity  elected 
to  salvation  and  given  to  him  by  the  Father. 

III.  "That  mankind  are  totally  depraved  in  con- 
sequence of  the  fall  of  the  first  man,  who,  being  their 
public  head,  his  sins  involved  the  corruption  of  all  his 
posterity  ;  and  which  corruption  extends  over  the  whole 
soul,  and  renders  it  unable  to  turn  to  God,  or  to  do 
anything  truly  good,  and  exposes  it  to  His  righteous 
displeasure,  both  in  this  world  and  that  which  is  to 
come. 

IV.  "  That  all  whom  God  hath  predestinated  unto 
eternal  life,  He  is  pleased  in  his  appointed  time  effect- 
ually to  call  by  his  word  and  spirit  out  of  that  state 
of  sin  and  death  in  which  they  were  by  nature,  to 
grace  and  salvation  by  Jesus  Christ. 

V.  "  That  those  whom  God  has  effectually  called 
and  sanctified  by   His  spirit,    shall  never  finally  fall 
from  a  state  of  grace.     That  true  believers  may  fall 


94  AMONG    THE   CONGREGATIONAMSTS. 

partially,  and  would  fall  totally  and  finally,  but  for 
the  mercy  and  faithfulness  of  God,  who  helpeth  the 
feet  of  His  saints ;  also,  that  he  who  bestovveth  the 
grace  of  perseverance,  bestoweth  it  by  means  of 
reading  and  hearing  the  word,  meditation,  exhorta- 
tions, threatenings  and  promises  ;  but  that  none  of  these 
things  imply  the  possibility  of  a  believer's  falling  from 
a  state  of  justification." 

"  Calvin  likewise  taught  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity," 
said  Mr.  Ingersoll ;  "the  three  equal  persons  in  the 
Godhead,  in  one  nature,  and  that  Jesus  Christ  had 
two  natures." 

"Also,"  said  Mr.  O'Hara,  emphatically,-  "that  the 
happiness  of  the  righteous  and  the  misery  of  the 
impenitent  commenced  directly  at  death,  and  was 
endless." 

"  Is  this,  then,  the  belief  of  what  are  called  Calvin- 
istic  churches,  including  Baptists?"  asked  Israel. 

"Substantially,"  answered  Mr.  Ingersoll,  "and 
there  is  Scripture,  varied  and  sufficient  in  proof  of  all 
these  periods  of  belief." 

"We  do  not  all  interpret  Scripture  alike,"  said  Mr. 
O'Hara.  "  I  am  the  pastor  of  an  Evangelical  Congrega- 
tional church,  so  called  ;  but  our  creed  is  so  worded, 
that,  while  we  are  'guilty  of  all'  these  doctilnes,  we 
4  offend  in  none,'  I  believe." 

"The  offence  of  the  Cross  hath  not  yet  ceased 
among  those  who  are  faithful  to  its  doctrines,"  here 
spoke  Mr.  Ingersoll,  very  gravely. 

Israel  now  rose  to  leave.  He  thanked  both  the 
clergymen  for  their  instruction.  Mr.  O'Hara  said, 
"  If  you  make  up  your  mind  that  you  must  be  im- 


TALK    WITH    CONGREGATIONAL    CLERGYMEN.       95 

mersed,  and  yet  wish  for  a  more  liberal  scope  of 
church  membership  than  the  Baptist,  you  can  come 
to  me  and  I  will  willingly  do  it." 

"I  would  not  do  it,"  said  Mr.  Ingersoll,  "for  I  do 
not  believe  it  is  necessary." 

"Neither  do  I,"  said  Mr.  O'Hara,  laughing,  "but 
then,  '  conscience  not  of  thine  own,  but  of  the  other.' 
If  we  are  liberal,  we  must  show  our  liberality,  and  not 
be  so  narrow-souled  as  the  Baptists.  I  declare  it  is 
truly  laughable,"  he  went  on,  "to  see  them  so  calm 
in  their  sublime  egotism,  as  though  God  made  the 
universe  on  purpose  for  them,  all  except  hell,  which 
is  for  their  enemies.  They  make  one  think  of  the 
Congoes,  who.  say  that  all  the  world  was  made  by 
hands  of  angels,  except  their  own  country,  which  was 
constructed  by  the  Supreme  himself,  who  took  great 
pains  to  make  them  very  black,  and  was  so  well 
pleased  with  the  model  man,  that  he  smoothed  him 
over  the  face,  and  therefrom  his  nose  and  that  of  all 
his  posterity  became  flat !  " 

"I  do  not  comprehend  your  figure,"  said  Mr.  In- 
gersoll. 

"Never  mind,"  said  Mr.  O'Hara,  "perhaps  I  do 
not  comprehend  it  myself." 

On  retiring  from  this  conference,  Israel  had  many 
thoughts.  Of  one  thing  he  was  sure  —  that  he  could 
not  join  a  church  with  a  Calvinistic  creed,  until  he 
had,  at  least,  examined  farther. 


AMONG    THE    METHODISTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE    METHODIST    PRAYER-MEETING. 

NOT  long  after  Israel  Knight's  conversation  with 
the  Congregational  clergyman,  he  was  walking,  early 
one  evening,  in  company  with  a  young  man  of  his 
acquaintance,  on  one  of  the  less  frequented  streets  of 
the  city.  Their  attention  was  arrested  by  strange, 
and,  as  he  thought,  unearthly  sounds,  which  seemed  to 
issue  from  a  row  of  lighted  windows  in  the  basement 
of  a  building  near  them. 

"  Persons  in  distress,"  said  Israel,  in  a  tone  of  sym- 
pathetic excitement. 

His  companion  laughed.  "  Look  up  and  see  where 
you  are,"  he  said. 

Israel  obeyed  the  suggestion,  and  discovered  that 
the  building  was  a  plain-looking  church.  His  eye 
fell  again  upon  the  lighted  windows,  and  at  the  mo- 
ment his  ear  took  in  a  prolonged  sound  which  seemed 
composed  of  pain  and  exultation,  all  concentrated  in 
the  word  "Glory!" 

Next  he  heard  the  word  "Hallelujah!"  in  an 
equally  remarkable  outburst  of  vocal  power. 

"Who  are  they?  What  is  it?"  now  asked  Israel 
of  his  friend. 

"Don't  you  know?  Is  it  possible  that  you  do  not 
understand  the  mysteries  of  a  real  Methodist  prayer- 

7  97 


i,.S  AMONG    THE    METHODISTS. 

nu-eting?"  returned  his  friend,  taking  him  by  the  arm 
and  turning  down  the  walk  which  led  to  those 
windows. 

"  I  know  nothing  of  them,"  said  Israel,  in  a  tone 
of  awe,  for  he  perceived  that  "the  combat  deepened" 
every  moment.  Sounds  as  of  pounding  now  accom- 
panied strong  cries  and  hollow  groans.  "Can  we 
obtain  admittance?" 

"  Certainly  ;  the  core  of  their  doctrine  is,  '  Whoso- 
ever will,  may  come  and  partake  freely.'  They  deal 
in  a  free  salvation." 

They  passed  into  the  outer  hall,  and  seeing  other 
persons  waiting  about  the  door,  paused  there  till  the 
favorable  moment  for  entrance.  Soon  one  of  the 
persons  within  broke  out  into  singing,  "  I'm  glad  sal- 
vation's free,  salvation's  free  for  you  and  me ; "  and  all 
who  had  been  on  their  knees  rose  to  their  seats,  while 
our  friends  moved  in.  A  person  who  sat  near  arose 
and  showed  Israel,  with  his  friend,  to  seats  in  full  view 
of  the  preacher's  desk. 

Israel  listened  to  the  many  voices  in  this  singing, 
and  saw  the  expression  of  the  faces  of  some  of  the 
foremost  who  sat  in  conspicuous  seats,  which  seemed 
fully  committed  to  the  manner  and  time  of  the  work, 
and  he  thought  "  This  is  what  is  meant  by  '  singing 
lustily.'  "  As  the  song  went  on,  some  one  broke  out 
with  the  exclamation,  "  Praise  God."  This  was  fol- 
lowed by  several  voices  crying  similar  ejaculations, 
till  the  singing  was  borne  down  and  stopped. 

A  person  at  the  desk,  who  seemed  to  be  the  leader 
of  the  meeting,  now  arose,  and  standing  still  a  mo- 
ment, looked  around  in  a  wild  and  intense  way  upon 


THE    METHODIST    PRAYER-MEETING.  99 

the  audience,  then  said  a  few  words  expressive  of  his 
hope  that  they  should  have  a  good  meeting  that  night 
—  such  a  meeting  as  they  never  had  enjoyed  before  in 
their  lives.  Souls  were  to  be  converted  by  scores,  if 
they  only  had  faith,  and  were  willing  to  come  up  to 
the  work  of  the  Lord ;  but  if  the  drowsy,  stupid 
church  members  were  going  to  hold  back,  as  they  so 
often  did, — just  like  great  leaden  cogs  on  the  wheels 
of  the  car  of  salvation,  —  they  might  as  well  give  it 
up,  first  as  last,  and  bid  farewell  to  the  miserable 
wretches  in  that  audience  who  were  now  swiftly  on 
their  way  to  the  pit  of  damnation.  He  concluded  by 
calling  upon  every  soul  in  that  congregation  who  had 
put  himself  or  herself  in  the  Lord's  ranks  over  against 
those  of  the  devil,  and  was  willing  to  keep  there  by 
going  to  work  mightily  for  the  Master,  to  come  for- 
ward on  the  front  seats  around  the  stand,  and  conse- 
crate themselves  anew  to  the  Lord. 

For  a  moment  there  was  a  breathless  silence,  then 
each  began  to  look  at  his  neighbor,  to  see  who  was 
going  to  move  and  who  was  not. 

"  Clear  the  seats ! "  now  cried  the  leader,  waving 
his  arms  on  either  hand  ;  "  clear  the  track  for  the 
progress  of  the  car  of  salvation !  We  are  going  to 
have  a  mighty  time  to-night  —  a  glorious  warming- 
up  here.  Now  while  we  sing,  all  who  love  our  Lord 
Jesus,  and  are  willing  to  stir  themselves  for  him, 
come  around  here." 

He  then  began  to  sing,  while  a  movement  com- 
menced throughout  the  house. 

When  the  vacated  seats  were  all  filled,  and  others 
stood  near  who  seemed  to  belong  to  that  company, 


IOO  AMONG    THE    METHODISTS. 

the  leader  said,  "  Now,  sister  Atkins,  we  will  join 
with  you  in  prayer.  We  want  every  one  here  in  these 
seats  to  give  himself  or  herself  up  anew  to  the  Mas- 
ter. Right  here,  and  just  now,  expect  a  blessing. 
Every  one  kneel ;  every  one  pray  now,  while  the  sister 
calls  upon  the  Lord  to  fit  us  up  for  a  glorious  work 
here  to-night.  Let  every  soul  in  this  house,  saint  or 
sinner,  get  down  on  their  knees." 

As  Israel  did  not  think  this  injunction  to  kneel 
included  him,  he  remained  in  his  position.  But  he 
saw  the  eyes  of  this  man  fixed  searchingly  upon  him 
from  above  the  chair  where  he  knelt  with  his  face  to 
the  audience. 

No  sooner  had  the  sister  began  to  pray,  than  voices 
from  every  direction  broke  out  with  loud  ejaculations, 
so  that  it  was  difficult  to  catch  only  broken  sentences 
of  her  petition.  These  were  accompanied  by  other 
loud  noises  made  by  their  hands.  The  strong  cries 
of  "Just  now,  Lord !  "  "  O,  come  right  here, 
Jesus  !  "  "  Yes,  yes,  that's  what  we  want."  "Amen  ! " 
"  Come  Lord,  come  right  down  now  and  work  like 
thyself!"  "Amen!"  "Hallelujah!"  "Glory!" 
"  Glory  to  God  !  "  bore  down  the  minor  key  of  the 
woman's  voice,  so  that  it  seemed  it  would  have  been 
equally  well  if  she  had  but  commenced  praying,  and 
ended  when  these  cries  ceased. 

No  sooner  had  the  weaker  voice  died  out,  than  there 
was  a  momentary  lull,  succeeded  by  a  roar  like  the 
outbreak  of  waters  at  the  removal  of  their  strongholds. 

A  stentorian  brother  now  led  the  mighty  current 
like  the  afflicted  Job  when  he  cried,  "Am  I  a  sea, 
or  a  whale  ••»?»» 


THE    METHODIST    PRAYER-MEETING.  IOI 

Israel  knew  not  whether  to  be  amused  or  disgusted. 
He  caught  the  eye  of  his  companion,  who  smiled. 
The  contagious  glance  caused  him  to  turn  away  to 
gather  new  self-control. 

The  next  time  he  looked  towards  the  leader,  he  saw 
his  searching  eye  levelled  like  an  arrow  of  reproof 
upon  him.  In  confusion  he  dropped  his  head  upon 
the  bench  before  him. 

These  things  continued  for  a  short  time,  when  all 
were  bidden  to  rise  and  sing. 

The  singing  concluded,  the  leader  said,  "  Now 
all  who  have  got  a  blessing  and  are  willing  to  work 
for  the  Master  to-night,  rise  right  up  and  show  your 
colors  for  the  Lord."  Most  of  the  persons  on  the 
front  seats  arose,  but  a  few  remaining  in  their  posi- 
tions, he  seemed  possessed  with  a  spirit  of  rebuke, 
and  said,  "  O  ye  stupid  Christians !  who  have  a 
name  to  live,  while  you  are  just  dead  in  trespasses  and 
sins,  —  what,  think  you,  is  to  be  your  portion?  You 
are  all  like  woodchucks  in  your  holes.  Nothing  will 
ever  bark  you  out  but  the  dog  of  persecution.  You 
need  to  be  called  to  straits  from  the  enemy,  like  the 
Christians  of  old,  in  order  to  b,e  willing  to  run  and 
not  be  weary,  to  walk  and  not  faint.  Here  are  souls 
around  us  to-night  going  right  on  to  hell,  and  you 
a-setting  there  so  stupid  and  careless !  I  see  the 
precious  souls  of  young  men  here,  who  are  now 
laughing  at  us.  [Here  he  gave  a  terrible  look  at 
Israel.]  And  there  are  young  women,  too,  right  on 
the  flowery  borders  of  perdition.  Yes,  brethren  and 
sisters,  there  is  work  here  for  us  to  do  to-night. 
How  can  you  keep  your  seats  one  precious  moment 


102  AMONG    THE    METHODISTS. 

of  time,  while  the  arch  adversary  is  busy  in  our  very 
midst ! " 

"  Now,"  said  he,  "  clear  these  seats  again  ;  we  are 
going  to  have  all  up  here  who  desire  to  save  their 
souls  and  want  to  be  prayed  into  the  kingdom  to-night. 
Brethren  and  sisters,  go  forth  among  the  congregation 
and  compel  them  to  come  in  and  sup  with  us  at  the 
marriage-supper  of  the  Lamb." 

He  then  struck  up  another  tune,  while  certain  ones 
moved  among  the  crowd,  and  invited  them  to  go 
forward  for  prayers. 

The  leader  looked  again  at  Israel  and  his  compan- 
ion, who  did  not  seem  inclined  to  move.  "Young 
men  there,  near  that  middle  pillar,"  he  cried  at  length, 
while  the  singing  went  on,  "  Come  up  here  to  the 
altar  and  get  religion  to-night.  You'll  never  have  a 
better  time  than  this." 

Several  now  turned  and  looked  at  them  with  an 
expression  of  commiseration  for  their  hardness  of 
heart. 

"What  shall  we  do?"  asked  Israel's  companion  of 
him,  in  a  low  voice.  "  If  we  stay  put  here,  they  will 
set  us  down  for  burglars  or  escaped  convicts.  We 
shall  be  branded  in  the  face  of  all  the  people,  and  our 
characters  will  be  gone  forever.  Let  us  escape  at  the 
door  before  it  grows  worse." 

"  No,"  said  Israel.  "  Let  us  go  forward.  It  will 
not  hurt  us  to  be  prayed  for." 

"  But  are  you  sincere?"  asked  his  friend. 

"  I  am,"  answered  Israel."  "  It  has  just  occurred 
to  me  that  the  fault  may  be  in  me,  and  not  in  them." 

They    went     forward,     while    the     leader     cried, 


THE    METHODIST    PRAYER-MEETING.  103 

"  Hallelujah,  two  more  have  decided  to  go  with  us  in 
the  glorious  way,  to-night." 

Soon  after,  the  leader  knelt,  calling  upon  every  soul 
of  them  to  do  likewise,  and  began  to  pray  for  the 
spirit  to  come  down. 

A  portion  of  the  prayer  was  directed  in  the  behalf 
of  those  two  stranger  young  men  in  their  midst, 
especially  that  one  whose  proud  spirit  had  refused  to 
kneel  when  he  first  came  in  among  them.  Israel  knew 
that  all  those  people  were  praying  for  him.  He  was 
not  angry.  No  ;  the  feeling  of  gratitude  began  grad- 
ually to  rise  within  his  heart.  • 

"  These  good  people  are  in  earnest  for  the  salvation 
of  my  soul,"  he  said  to  himself;  "  although  I  have 
believed  I  was  a  Christian  before,  I  feel  now  that  I 
am  not  like  these.  Perhaps  I  have  been  deceived." 

"  Search  him,  strip  him,  O  Lord ! "  spoke  the 
leader  ;  "  strip  him  naked  of  all  his  filthy  rags  of  self- 
righteousness  and  put  on  him  a  clean  white  robe." 

At  this  juncture,  a  clear,  sweet  voice  commenced  to 
sing  something  about  "  palms  of  victory  "  and  "  white 
robes,"  "clean  robes,"  and  the  prayers  ceased,  though 
all  remained  on  their  knees. 

Tears  filled  Israel's  eyes.  "  Surely,"  thought  he, 
"  they  are  unselfish  to  take  so  much  heed  for  an 
entire  stranger.  This  must  be,  truly,  an  apostolical 
faith  and  practice  as  new  to  me  as  it  is  beautiful." 

Now  some  one  bent  over  him  and  whispered, "  Friend, 
do  you  feel  better?  Have  you  got  religion?" 

"  I  don't  know,"  said  Israel,  "  I  thought  I  had 
sometime  ago  ;  but  I  have  not  been  enough  in  earnest, 
I  fear." 


IO4  AMONG    THE    METHODISTS. 

"  He  wishes  to  feel  more  the  terrible  weight  of 
his  salvation,"  said  the  leader  aloud,  and  renewed 
his  strong  supplication  to  that  effect,  until  another 
voice  cried  out,  "  I  know  it  is  all  right  with  him  now. 
Let  us  praise  God.  He  has  got  the  victory.  Shout, 
brother ! " 

The  audience  became  seated,  and  after  the  singing 
of  another  verse,  those  who  felt  that  they  had  obtained 
salvation  were  requested  to  rise.  Several  stood,  but 
Israel  was  not  among  them. 

"  How  is  this?"  asked  the  leader,  looking  at  Israel, 
"  can  you  not  give  God  the  glory  for  your  salvation? 
Speak  !  speak  a  word  for  the 'Master,  and  tell  us  what 
he  has  done  for  your  soul.  If  you  hold  your  peace, 
the  spirit  may  leave  you,  and  you  may  be  silent  in  the 
cause  forever." 

Israel  now  arose,  and  looking  down  very  modestly, 
said  that  he  felt  new  convictions  of  his  duty  to  be  a 
more  earnest  Christian,  such  as  he  never  had  before. 
He  asked  their  prayers  that  the  will  of  the  Lord 
might  be  made  plain  to  him. 

His  friend  looked  on  him  in  astonishment,  but 
was  silent  himself.  Many  responded  fervently 
"  Amen,"  and  "  We  will  pray  for  you,  brother." 

"Nearly  all  those  who  had  newly  risen  "gare  in 
their  testimony,"  as  it  was  called,  what  the  Lord  had 
done  for  ^them  —  these  testimonies  being  often  inter- 
spersed with  singing. 

It  may  be  thought  unaccountable  that  Israel  had  so 
soon  fallen  in  with  a  tide  which,  at  first,,  he  was  dis- 
posed to  resist  or  undervalue.  The  contradiction  is 
only  apparent.  A  young  man  with  a  naturally 


THE    METHODIST    PRAYER-MEETING.  105 

decided  religious  temperament,  possessed  with  a  con- 
viction that  somewhere  on  the  earth  the  divine  presence 
dwelt  with  a  peculiar  people,  whose  local  habitation 
could  be  named,  "  The  Lord  is  here  ; "  such  a  person, 
comparatively  alone  in  the  world  as  to  kindred  and 
near  friends,  and  disposed  to  conscientiously  disci- 
pline himself  in  a  religious  way,  would  easily  become 
affected  with  the  new  and  strange  interest  manifested 
towards  him  by  this  fervid,  and  apparently  friendly  and 
humble  people.  Hitherto,  it  had  not  been  in  his  expe- 
rience to  hear  the  voice  of  prayer  uttered  by  another  in 
his  individual  behalf.  With  the  Baptists,  he  had  more 
than  once  knelt  at  their  family  altar,  and  no  word  had 
gone  up  for  the  guest,  orphaned  and  desolate  on  the 
threshold  of  manhood,  although  they  had  prayed  most 
kindly  for  their  own  beloved  ones.  The  Congrega- 
tionalists  had  vouchsafed  no  such  friendly  regard  as 
this.  Hungering  and  thirsting  after  a  personal  right- 
eousness, he  began  to  have  an  emotion  of  partial  satis- 
faction in  this  new  demonstration  of  strangers  towards 
himself.  Although  at  first  he  had  felt  that  injustice 
was  done  him,  yet  it  was  far  better  for  them  to  think 
of  him,  even  though  the  thought  was  short  of  what  he 
wished,  than  not  to  think  of  him  at  all. 

"  Brother  Simond,"  spoke  the  leader,  when  the 
testimonies  from  the  anxious  seat  were  concluded,  *'  I 
want  you  to  pray  now,  and  particularly  remember 
our  strange  brother,"  looking  at  Israel,  "  who  so  sin- 
cerely desires  to  understand  his  duty.  The  Lord  has 
surely  sent  him  among  us  for  his  profit  to-night.  Let 
us  all  invoke  a  special  blessing  upon  him,  that  he  may 
leave  this  place,  feeling  as  he  never  did  before.  After 


J06  AMONG   THE    METHODISTS. 

that,  let  other  of  the  brethren  and  sisters  pray  for  all 
the  rest  on  these  scats,  that  they  may  be  confirmed  and 
strengthened  in  the  faith.  Let  us  all  now  expect  a 
present  blessing." 

Brother  Simond  was  unlike  some  others  who 
had  prayed  there  that  night.  To  the  fervor  of  his 
religion  was  added  a  loving  charity,  otherwise  called 
by  his  people  "a  sweet  spirit,"  which  moved  upon 
the  hearts  of  those  of  a  certain  temperament  with  a 
remarkable  power.  He  was  often  called  a  Christian 
of  the  St.  John  stamp.  He  leaned  much  upon  the 
Saviour's  bosom,  and  so  caught  His  heavenly  spirit. 
Low  and  reverent  were  his  tones,  unless  the  tide  of 
his  feeling  ran  uncommonly  strong  and  high,  when  he 
grew  not  loud,  but  deep  and  powerful,  like  a  beau- 
tiful and  full-flowing  river  of  Faith  hastening  towards 
the  sea  of  Infinite  Compassion. 

He  it  was  who  now  prayed  for  Israel,  and  touched 
his  heart  by  the  might  of  his  spirit  as  never  man 
had  done  before.  Words  of  Holy  Writ,  clothed  with 
the  seemingly  unlimited  power  of  his  friendly  soul, 
were  on  his  lips  as  if  they  belonged  there.  The  sword 
of  the  spirit  accompanied  them.  They  cut  Israel  to 
the  heart.  They  transfused  his  nature  into  contrition 
and  love.  He  wept. 

Before  the  exercises  of  that  evening  had  closed, 
Israel  arose  unbidden,  and  asked  leave  to  speak  to  the 
people  present. 

"  Speak,  brother,  and  the  Lord  fill  your  heart  with 
His  Spirit,"  responded  the  leader. 

"I came  in  hither,"  said  Israel,  "without  knowing 
for  what  intent  the  Lord  led  me.  I  came  with  gain- 


THE    METHODIST    PRAYER-MEETING.  IOy 

saying,  and  it  seemed  to  me  that  your  words  and  ways 
were  strangely  erroneous.  I  confess  that  I  had  no 
part  nor  lot  with  you.  But  God  has  moved  me  to 
feel  very  differently." 

"In  answer  to  the  prayer  of  faith,"  ejaculated  the 
leader  ;  "  but  go  on,  dear  brother." 

"  I  think  of  a  truth  that  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is 
here,"  he  continued. 

"  Amen  !  Glory  to  God  !  "  cried  voices  on  all  sides, 
while  the  tears  fell  from  many  eyes. 

"  And,  although  I  have  had  a  hope  of  a  Christian 
before,  I  never  realized  my  state  as  here,  around  this 
altar,  to-night.  I  came  in  to  wonder,  I  fear  to  despise  ; 
but  what  do  I  not  owe  to  the  grace  of  God,  who 
opened  my  eyes,  softened  my  heart,  and  filled  it  with 
love  for  you  all." 

"  Bless  the  Lord  !     Bless  God  !  "  cried  voices. 

"For  a  long  time  I  have  sought  for  the  people 
whose  God  was  truly  the  Lord,  for  the  church  from 
among  the  varied  churches  of  the  land,  of  which  it 
might  well  be  said,  as  of  the  city  described  in  Ezekiel, 
whose  name  was  '  The  Lord  is  there?  I  believe 
that  I  now  have  glimpses  of  this  holy  place  with  the 
holiest  of  names.  My  soul  is  filled  with  rejoicing  that 
it  sees,  though  in  the  dim  distance,  the  spires  and 
turrets  of  its  home  —  its  Christian  home  ! 

"  My  friends !  I  have  no  earthly  home  which  is 
blessed,  centred,  and  filled  with  the  presence  of  kindred 
according  to  the  flesh.  My  parents  both  died  before 
I  well  remember.  I  have  been  well  cared  for,  but  it 
has  been  by  strangers  and  hirelings  ;•  by  good  friends, 
it  is  true,  but  not  by  the  blessed  ones"  of  home  !  " 


IOS  AMONG   THE    METHODISTS. 

"  The  Lord  bless  the  dear  young  brother,"  was  now 
heard  in  strong  tones  of  tenderness. 

"  It  seems  to  me,  as  I  have  said,"  Israel  went  on, 
amid  tears,  "that  I  am  nearing  the  home  of  my  soul, 
among  true  Christian  brethren  who  love  the  souls  of 
others." 

No  sooner  had  he  concluded,  than  they  commenced 
and  sang  the  following  beautiful  words  :  — 

"In  the  Christian's  home  in  glory 
There  remains  a  land  of  rest; 
There  my  Saviour's  gone  before  me, 
To  fulfil  my  soul's  request. 

Chorus : 

"There  is  rest  for  the  weary, 
There  is  rest  for  the  weary, 
On  the  other  side  of  Jordan, 
In  the  sweet  fields  of  Eden. 
There  is  rest  for  the  weary, 
There  is  rest  for  you  — 
Where  the  tree  of  life  is  blooming, 
There  is  rest  for  you. 

"He  is  fitting  up  my  mansion 

Which  eternally  shall  stand : 
For  my  stay  shall  not  be  transient 
In  that  holy,  happy  land. 

Chorus:  "There  is  rest  for  the  weary,  etc. 

"Sing,  O  sing,  ye  heirs  of  glory; 

Shout  your  triumph  as  you.  go ; 
Zion's  gates  will  open  for  you, 
You  shall  find  an  entrance  through. 

Chorus:  "There  is  rest  for  the  weary,"  etc. 


THE    METHODIST    PRAYER-MEETING.  109 

Sung,  as  were  these  words,  by  voices  which  welled, 
up  from  hearts  overflowing  with  emotion,  Israel 
thought  he  had  a  foretaste  of  heaven. 

No  sooner  was  the  meeting  closed,  than  numbers 
of  the  "brethren"  gathered  around  Israel  to  offer  him 
their  hands,  with  hearty  words  of  welcome. 

The  leader  took  his  address,  and  promised  to  call 
on  him  at  an  early  opportunity. 

"Things  have  taken  a  different  turn  to-night  from 
what  I  expected,"  said  Israel's  companion,  on  the  way 
to  their  boarding-place. 

"  Yes,"  he  replied,  "  it  is  all  very  providential." 


HO  AMONG   THE    METHODISTS. 


CHAPTER  II. 
CYPRIAN  CUTTING'S  CALL. 

THE  next  morning,  before  Israel  had  breakfasted, 
there  was  a  knock  on  his  door,  and  the  servant  told 
him  that  a  gentleman  waited  to  see  him. 

"Where  is  his  card?"  asked  Israel  in  some  sur- 
prise at  such  an  unwonted  summons. 

"  O !  he  told  me  he  did  not  carry  cards  to  play 
with,  when  I  asked  him,  sir ;  but  he  said,  '  Tell  him  I 
have  a  message  from  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  and  it  must 
be  delivered  without  any  delay.'  " 

Israel  was  about  to  offer  some  excuse  at  this  singu- 
lar request,  when  a  footstep  was  heard  upon  the 
stair.  He  turned  and  saw  the  face  of  the  leader  of 
last  night's  meeting. 

"  Halloo  there  !  "  said  the  man  ;  "  don't  you  know 
your  own  brother  in  the  Lord  ?  I  am  a  servant  of  the 
Almighty ;  my  name  is  Cyprian  Cutting ;  rightly 
named,  too,  for  my  business  is  to  cut  the  hearts  of 
sinners  with  the  sword  of  Gideon,  and  I  cut  church 
members  as  well,  if  they  lie  asleep  by  the  king's 
highway  like  snakes  a-sunning." 

"  It  seems  to  me  that  you  are  a  very  strange  man 
for  a  minister,"  said  Israel,  who  now  showed  him 
into  his  parlor,  and  opened  a  blind  to  admit  the  morn- 
ing light.  At  this  proceeding,  the  visitor  began  to 


CYPRIAN    CUTTINGS    CALL.  Ill 

sing  in  a  low,  sweet  voice,  "  The  morning  light  is 
breaking,"  stopping  suddenly  at  the  end  of  the  first  verse, 
and  saying  "  I  am  not  a  minister  yet,  brother,  though 
I  am  a  making  all  the  time,  these  glorious  days.  I 
shall  soon  stand  on  the  heights  of  Zion,  and  proclaim 
a  free  salvation,  in  louder  tones  even  than  I  now  do." 

"  I  supposed  you  were,  from  the  fact  of  your  posi- 
tion last  evening,"  said  Israel. 

"  I  only  led  the  meeting  in  the  absence  of  our 
preacher.  Religion  is  in  a  very  low  state  in  our 
church  now." 

"  I  thought  quite  the  contrary,"  said  Israel ;  "it 
seemed  to  me  there  was  a  remarkable  fervor  prevail- 
ing there." 

"  O  !  you  ought  to  have  seen  us  last  winter,"  said 
Cutting,  smiling  with  an  ecstatic  joy,  "  when  every 
single  night  of  the  week,  scores  fell  down,  cut  to  the 
heart ;  and  on  Sunday  nights  we  calculated  we  had 
done  nothing,  unless  we  could  count  seventy  or  eighty 
slain  around  our  altar.  O  dear  !  our  church  members," 
he  sighed,  "are  such  stupid,  blind  guides !  fools  of 
heart  and  slow  to  believe !  I  have  to  speak  to  them 
just  as  the  Spirit  gives  me  utterance,  every  once  in  a 
little  while." 

"Do  they  receive  it  peaceably?"  asked  Israel. 
"Sometimes;  but  when  I  pour  it  on  them  the  hottest 
from  the  fiery  furnace  of  God's  love,  they  squirm,  I 
tell  you  ;  and  they  would  turn  Brother  Cutting  out  of 
the  church  if  they  could  —  that's  a  fact.  But  they  can't 
fight  against  the  Lord  to  any  good  purpose." 

"  Then  you  think  the  Lord  speaks  through  you," 
continued  Israel. 


H2  AMONG   THE   METHODISTS. 

"  So  long  as  I  do  His  will  to  the  letter,  brother,  I 
have  not  a  doubt  of  it,  and  that's  the  reason  I  came 
here  so  early  this  morning ;  it's  the  early  bird  that 
catches  the  worm,  you  know.  I  am  after  your  soul, 
brother,  and  I  have  come  to  tell  you  that  if  you  don't 
come  right  out  and  own  your  Master  with  us  —  stand 
up  like  a  good  soldier  of  the  cross  and  do  your  duty, 
you  will  soon  fall  into  Satan's  ranks  and  be  eternally 
lost." 

He  fixed  his  eyes  upon  those  of  Israel  with  a  look 
like  a  maniac.  Yet  he  was  pleasant  and  genial  as  the 
summer  morn. 

"  Let  us  pray,"  next  spoke  Cutting,  while  he  drop- 
ped suddenly  upon  his  knees. 

A  listener  would  have  inferred  that  he  had  full  faith 
to  the  measure  of  his  "  soul's  request,"  that  "  the 
heavens  would  bow  and  come  down."  To  character- 
ize this  prayer  by  the  word  earnestness,  is  as  scant  of 
the  fact  as  "  light "  falls  short  of  a  description  of  the 
sun.  It  was  a  practical  obedience  to  the  words  of  the 
Lord  found  in  Isaiah  xli :  21.  Produce  your  cause : 
bring  forth  your  strong  reasons. 

The  breakfast  bell  terminated  this  exercise,  but  not 
the  interview,  for  Cutting  accepted  the  invitation  to 
accompany  Israel  to  breakfast,  adding  that  he  had  not 
eaten  a  "  full  meal  "  for  four  days.  It  soon  transpired 
that  Cutting  was  boarding  himself,  and  in  all  ways 
trying  to  eke  out  enough  to  provide  the  means  for  an 
education. 

"  It  must  be  very  hard  for  you,"  said  Israel. 

"  Not  at  all,  dear  brother,  since  my  Master  looks  out 
that  I  have  all  I  really  need.  The  glorious  service 


CYPRIAN  CUTTING'S  CALL.  113 

,  I  assure  you."  And  he  smiled  as  though  contem- 
plating a  broker's  board,  on  which  he  had  a  right  to 
thousands  of  gold. 

In  answer  to  the  request  of  the  landlady  that  he 
should  ask  the  blessing,  he  prayed  at  least  five  min- 
utes, in  which  he  took  occasion  to  remember  every 
individual  around  the  table,  each  with  an  original 
request,  not  forgetting  to  offer  a  petition  that  the 
colored  handmaids  who  wait  upon  us  "  may  have  their 
souls  washed  and  made  white  in  the  cleansing  blood 
of  the  Lamb."  Also,  he  said  in  conclusion,  "  If  any 
of  these  persons,  O  Lord,  fail  of  securing  admission 
to  Thy  kingdom,  it  will  not  be  the  fault  of  Thy  ser- 
vant who  warned  them  on  Tuesday  morning,  August 
seventeenth,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord,  (here  he  gave 
the  year,)  Amen." 

The  result  of  this  unprecedented  faithfulness  to  a 
conviction  of  duty  appeared  in  a  few  days,  in  the 
form  of  a  new  coat,  ordered  by  subscription  of  those 
persons  there  present,  for  "Mr.  Cyprian  Cutting  —  a 
man  among  a  thousand,  who  dares  to  say  what  he 
thinks." 


AMONG    THE    METHODISTS. 


CHAPTER  III. 

METHODIST    DOCTRINE. 
t 

ISRAEL  soon  became  so  much  interested  in  what  he 
heard  and  saw  among  these  Methodists,  that  he  took 
advice  of  the  minister  of  this  persuasion,  whose  ser- 
vices he  now  chiefly  attended,  as  to  what  books  he 
should  read  in  order  to  become  acquainted  more  thor- 
oughly with  their  doctrinal  belief.  He  was  told  that 
no  stress  was  laid  upon  the  belief  of  the  laity  for 
membership,  provided  they  loved  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  in  sincerity,  and  were  striving  to  live  a  good 
life  ;  but  that  the  ministry  were  strictly  required  to 
accept  their  creed  in  the  fifty-three  discourses  of  John 
Wesley,  and  his  Notes  on  the  New  Testament,  all  of 
which  is  of  the  "  Arminian  type." 

He  was  curious  to  know  how  the  belief  of  the 
Arminians  could  read  in  distinction  from  those  "  Five 
Points  "  of  Calvinism  which  he  had  received  with  so 
much  reservation  of  confidence. 

He  found  it  to  read  thus  :  — 

I.  That  God,  from  eternity,  determined  to  bestow 
salvation  on  those  who,  he  foresaw,  would  persevere 
unto  the  end,  and  to  inflict  everlasting  punishment 
on  those  who  should  continue  in  their  unbelief,  and 
resist  his  divine  succors ;  so  that  election  and  reproba- 
tion are  conditional. 


METHODIST    DOCTRINE.  1 15 

II.  That  Jesus  Christ,  by  his  sufferings  and  death, 
made  "an  atonement  for  the  sins  of  all  mankind,  and  of 
every  individual  in  particular  ;  that,  however,  none  but 
those  who  believe  in  him,  can  be  partakers  of  his  benefits. 

III.  That  mankind  are  not  totally  depraved,  and 
that  depravity  does  not  come  upon  them  by  virtue  of 
Adam's  being  their  federal  head. 

IV.  That  the  grace   of  God,  which  converts  men, 
is  not  irresistible. 

V.  That  those  who  are  united  to  Christ  by  faith 
may  fall  from  a  state  of  grace,  and  finally  perish. 

Upon  some  of  these  views  he  found  that  those  of 
Wesley  appeared  to  join  issue.  For  instance,  in  Wes- 
ley's own  words,  he  read  as  follows  :  — 

"Question.  In  what  sense  is  Adam's  sin  imputed 
to  all  mankind? 

"Answer.  In  Adam  all  died,  i.  e.,  i.  Our  bodies 
then  became  mortal.  2.  Our  souls  died,  i.  e.  were 
disunited  from  God.  And  hence,  3.  We  are  all  born 
with  a  sinful,  devilish  nature ;  by  reason  whereof, 
4.  We  are  children  of  wrath,  liable  to  death  eternal. 
(Rom.  5  :  18  ;  Eph.  u  :  3.) 

"J^.  In  what  sense  is  the  righteousness  of  Christ 
imputed  to  all  mankind,  or  to  believers? 

"A.  We  do  not  find  it  expressly  affirmed  in 
Scripture  that  God  imputes  the  righteousness  of  Christ 
to  any,  although  we  do  find  that  faith  is  imputed  for 
righteousness.  That  text,  '  As  by  one  man's  disobe- 
dience all  men  were  made  sinners,  so  by  the  obedience 
of  one  all  were  made  righteous,'  we  conceive,  means 
by  the  merits  of  Christ  all  men  are  cleared  from  the 
guilt  of  Adam's  actual  sin." 


Il6  AMONG    THE    METHODISTS. 

In   addition   to    what  is  contained  in  the  creed  of 
Arminius,  he  found  these  teachings,  also,  of  Wesley  :  — 

"^>.     What  is  implied  in  being  a  perfect  Christian  ? 

"A.  The  loving  the  Lord  our  God  with  all  our 
heart,  and  with  all  our  mind,  and  soul,  and  strength. 

"J^.  Does  this  imply  that  all  inward  sin  is  taken 
away? 

"A.  Without  doubt;  or  how  could  we  be  said  to 
be  saved  from  all  our  uncleanness?"  (Ezek.  36  :  29.) 

Of  faith,  he  found  the  Wesley  an  idea  to  be,  "  not 
only  a  divine  evidence  or  conviction  that  God  was  in 
Christ  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself,  but  a  sure 
trust  and  confidence  that  Christ  died  for  my  sins,  that 
he  loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for  me.  And  the 
moment  a  penitent  sinner  believes  this,  God  pardons 
and  absolves  him  ;  and  as  soon  as  his  pardon  or  justi- 
fication is  witnessed  to  him  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  is 
saved." 

A  standard  writer  of  this  connection.  Israel  found, 
adds  to  the  foregoing :  — 

"That  comfortable  persuasion  of  God's  favor,  re- 
sulting from  the  witness  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  for  which 
the  Methodists  contend,  they  distinguish  from  an 
assurance  of  final  salvation.  It  is  simply  a  persua- 
sion of  present  pardon  and  acceptance.  Without 
this,  say  they,  we  cannot  love  God,  and  therefore  can- 
not yield  those  fruits  of  righteousness  which  indicate  a 
state  of  grace  and  safety.  The  induction  thus  sup- 
poses the  antecedent  '  witness,'  as  truly  as  lunar  beams 
give  evidence  of  the  power  and  brightness  of  the  sun. 
Where  the  attesting  spirit  dwells,  He  produces  the 
graces  which  are  enumerated  in  Holy  Scripture  ;  and 


METHODIST    DOCTRINE.  ll>] 

thus  arises  what  has  been  called  [perhaps  not  very 
accurately],  a  'second  witness',  to  ratify  and  confirm 
to  us  the  first. 

"  Comparing  many  texts  of  Holy  Scripture  which 
are  addressed  to  those  who  are  '  in  Christ,'  —  and  of 
which  the  burden  is,  to  urge  each  to  '  cleanse'  them- 
selves '  from  all  filthiness  of  the  flesh  9nd  spirit, 
perfecting  holiness  in  the  fear  of  God,'  —  the  Metho- 
dists infer  that  in  this  life  the  Christian  man  may  be 
'sanctified  wholly;'  and  that  his  'whole  spirit  and 
soul  and  body '  may  '  be  preserved  blameless  unto  the 
coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.'  " 

"Beautiful  doctrine!"  exclaimed  Israel,  as  he  read 
the  foregoing  substance  of  the  Methodist  belief;  "I 
will  search  for  the  evidences  of  its  truth,  and  if  found, 
it  shall  be  the  creed  of  my  heart  and  the  practice  of 
my  life  !  " 

He  then  spent  the  greater  part  of  weeks  and  months 
in  exploring  the  best  works  of  the  standard  writers  of 
Methodism,  occasionally  availing  himself  of  conversa- 
tions with  such  of  the  most  learned  and  pious  persons 
of  that  persuasion  as  he  could  meet.  Especially  was 
his  soul  moved  and  confirmed  in  this  "way  of  salva- 
tion," when  he  read  such  books  of  devout  and  faithful 
zeal  as  the  lives  of  the  Wesleys,  of  Fletcher  and  his 
not  less  saintly  wife,  of  Carvosso,  Mrs.  Hester  Ann 
Rogers,  and  others  of  that  procession  of  true  followers 
of  the  apostolical  faith  and  practice,  who  went  about 
doing  good  everywhere  as  they  had  opportunity, 
asking  not,  nor  expecting  reward  in  this  life. 

All  this  was  not  without  its  effect  upon  his  own 
purposes  of  life.  He  had  caught  the  holy  fire,  and 


Il8  AMONG   THE    METHODISTS. 

his  heart  burned  within  him  to  engage  himself  in  this 
glorious  work  of  winning  perishing  souls  to  Christ, 
whom  he  now  loved  as  never  before.  It  seemed  to 
him  that  all  other  Christian  denominations  were 
asleep,  or  half  stultified  with  their  own  errors,  com- 
pared to  this  people,  who  ran  joyfully  the  new  and 
living  way*,  which  had  been  consecrated  by  the  foot- 
steps of  the  Divine  One. 

Especially  did  the  humility,  the  self-sacrifice,  and 
the  strict  obedience  to  the  commands  of  the  New 
Testament  inculcated  in  these  and  kindred  Methodist 
books,  fill  his  soul  with  profound  admiration.  The 
previous  experiences  of  his  life  in  his  academical  and 
collegiate  career  had  been  in  some  of  the  most  em- 
inent arenas  of  the  land.  He  thought  he  had  seen 
much  of  pride  and  vain  show.  He  believed  he  had 
suffered  somewhat  for  conscience's  sake.  Thrice 
welcome  were  these  teachings,  so  pure,  so  humble,  so 
Christ-like  !  Thrice  welcome  the  people  whose  God 
was  the  Lord,  and  not  the  ungodliness  of  the  world ! 


THE    FOLD    OF    FLOCKS.  119 


CHAPTER   IV. 

THE    FOLD    OF    FLOCKS. 

ABOUT  this  time,  Israel  attended  a  camp-meeting. 

It  was  late  on  an  afternoon  of  the  latter  part  of  the 
week  of  this  "  feast  of  Tabernacles,"  that  he  took  the 
opportunity  to  visit  the  camp  ground.  As  he  left 
the  railroad  station  and  walked  up  the  avenue  which 
led  to  the  place,  he  met  uncounted  crowds  moving 
slowly  on  the  way  to  return.  They  were  laughing, 
chatting,  —  these  gaily-dressed  and  worldly  looking 
people,  as  though  they  had  been  to  a  picnic  or  a 
horse  race,  and  were  speculating  upon  the  merits  of 
the  different  objects  of  interest.  A  group  of  young 
people  of  about  his  own  age  met  one  young  lady  who 
walked  in  the  inward-bound  mass  of  which  Israel 
was  one,  and  accosted  her  in  loud  tones  with 
"  Hullo !  say !  Have  you  come  here  to  get  religion 
to-night?" 

The  other  made  no  direct  answer,  but  said  in  an 
equally  buoyant  tone,  "I  suppose  you  are  all  right 
now,  after  being  to  camp-meeting  so  long !  " 

"  O  yes,  of  course  we  are  !  All  right !  "  And  the 
moving  crowd  swept  them  on. 

T"hese  things  grated  harshly  upon  the  ear  of  Israel, 
and  he  repented  at  this  moment  that  he  had  come  ; 
but  the  sounds  of  the  sweet  singers  in  the  clear,  open 


I2O  AMONG    THE    METHODISTS. 

air  beneath  the  trees  of  the  forest,  newly  kindled  his 
interest.     He  heard  the  words  :  — 

"  O  for  a  heart  to  praise  my  God, 

A  heart  from  sin  set  free ; 
A  heart  that  always  feels  thy  blood, 
So  freely  spilt  for  me. 

"  A  heart  in  every  thought  renewed, 

And  full  of  love  divine ; 
Perfect,  and  right,  and  pure,  and  good, 
A  copy,  Lord,  of  thine." 

Then  he  came  in  full  view  of  the  scene.     He  paused  a 
moment  to  study  what  he  saw. 

It  had  rained  heavily  during  the  previous  night,  so 
that  all  the  abundant  foliage  of  the  giant  trees  of  the 
old  wood,  with  the  gravel  paths  which  led  about 
the  grounds,  and  the  white  canvas  roofs,  had  been 
washed,  refreshed,  and  endued  as  with  a  smile  from 
the  heavens.  A  gradually  rising  hill,  which  formed 
a  kind  of  natural  amphitheatre,  was  bounded  to  the 
extent  of  a  semicircle  by  the  different  tents,  on  each 
of  which  was  the  name  of  the  place  of  the  society 
which  composed  its  occupants.  These  tents  were 
very  similar  in  construction  and  furnishing-  except 
some  smaller  ones  in  the  rear  of  the  semicircle,  which 
had  been  put  up  by  private  individuals  for  the  use  of  one 
family  or  small  sets  of  persons.  Each  tent  was  thickly 
carpeted  with  straw  ;  seats  extended  around  the  walls, 
and  articles  of  various  kinds,  like  chests  and  trunks, 
were  packed  away  in  remote  corners.  To  the  rear  of 
each  was  a  cooking-stove,  and  benches  which  served 
for  tables  and  other  domestic  uses.  These  composed 


THE    FOLD    OF    FLOCKS.  121 

the  kitchens  and  family  rooms  of  the  establishments. 
The  lower  base  of  this  amphitheatre  was  occupied  by 
a  roofed  house,  before  which  was  a  stand  for  the 
preachers,  and  from  which  extended,  up  to  within  a 
short  walk  from  the  tents,  rows  of  substantial  seats 
capable  of  accommodating  many  hundreds  of  persons. 

Although  the  sermon  for  that  afternoon  was  over, 
they  were  now  partially  filled  by  people  who  were 
engaged  in  a  meeting -of  a  more  social  nature.  Hence 
the  singing  which  he  heard  on  his  approach. 

Aged  men  and  women,  middle-aged  persons,  chil- 
dren, and  even  babes,  were  here  to  be  seen  or  heard. 
Hardly  a  color  or  a  people  was  not  represented  in 
some  form. 

The  words  of  the  divine  prophecy  —  "And  Sharon 
shall  be  a  fold  of  flocks,"  came  to  the  memory  of 
Israel,  as  he  stood  before  the  door  of  the  first  tent  he 
reached  and  gazed  about  him. 

Not  long  did  he  linger  there,  for  he  was  attracted 
by  the  strong  musical  tones  of  a  well-known  voice  in 
the  most  violent  exhortation  to  that  audience  on  the 
seats.  It  came  from  among  the  people  and  not  from 
the  preachers'  stand  ;  yet  no  minister  full  of  years  and 
weighty  with  the  sheaves  of  precious  souls  could 
have  spoken  with  greater  authority  and  earnestness. 

Israel  moved  forward,  exchanged  a  nod  with  the 
sheriff  in  attendance,  and  took  his  place  among  the 
hearers  of  that  powerful,  hortatory  address. 

"  O  Cyprian  !  "  he  said  to  himself,  "  are  you  never 
weary  in  your  Master's  work?  Somewhere  about 
you  must  be  concealed  the  patent  of  indefatigable 
perseverance."  All  else  looked  worn  with  the  long 


122  AMONG    THE    METHODISTS. 

day's  excitement,  and  waiting  to  be  renewed  by  "  the 
cup  which  cheers  but  not  inebriates,"  while  he  was, 
to  appearance,  as  fresh  and  heart-full  as  though  just 
risen  from  a  plunge  into  the  river  of  life. 

His  attention  soon  wandered  to  the  group  of  faces 
upon  the  preachers'  stand.  Only  two  or  three  of  as 
many  score  were  known  to  him.  He  read  them  as  he 
would  a  page  in  Hebrew,  from  right  to  left,  directly 
the  reverse  of  the  vernacular. 

Not  more  than  one  in  fifteen  had  received  a  college 
diploma,  and  all  but  two  or  three  of  these  were 
bestowed  by  a  university  of  medium  rank.  Very  few, 
and  these  among  the  younger  portion,  had  studied  in 
a  theological  seminary.  Half  of  them  referred  only 
to  an  academy  of  their  denomination,  which  they 
proudly  called  EVERSHAM. 

All  except  two,  or  at  the  most  four  of  these  preach- 
ers, had  the  look  which  speaks  of  hidden  power  to 
survive  all  kinds  of  transformation.  This  was  the 
result  of  the  cultivation  of  their  peculiar  system  of 
itineracy.  They  were  used  to  being  changed  about 
into  shapes  in  which  they  would  not  have  recognized 
themselves,  had  it  not  been  for  their  surnames,  occa- 
sionally pronounced  in  strong  tones  by  their  bishops, 
at  the  beck  of  the  presiding  elders. 

Spallanzani  has  proved  that  the  snail  has  the  power 
of  reproducing  a  new  head  when  decapitated  ;  but  it 
should  be  noticed  that  the  brain  of  the  snail  does  not 
reside  in  its  head. 

Hopeful,  cheerful,  satisfied  with  their  sect,  looked 
they  all ;  and  how  could  it  be  otherwise  when  Metho- 
dism was  progressing  in  its  victorious  march  over  this 


THE    FOLD    OF    FLOCKS.  123 

continent,  at  the  rate  of  five  hundred  souls  a  minute, 
or  better  yet,  of  five  hundred  thousand  dollars  an 
hour  of  lunar  time  ! 

Not  that  Israel  Knight  thought  this,  as  he  gazed  at 
that  formidable  array  of  preachers.  Far  from  it.  He 
thought  of  them  only  as  the  most  faithful,  the  most 
humble,  apostolical  servants  of  the  true  church  of 
Christ ;  and,  as  he  thought,  he  sighed  that  he  could 
not  be  there,  one  in  their  midst. 

"  I  understand  that  the  elders  here  have  asked  God 
to  give  us  at  least  one  hundred  conversions  for  the 
harvest  of  this  camp-meeting,  and  how  are  they  going 
to  get  them  all  if  they  do  not  bestir  themselves  more 
than  they  have?"  cried  Cyprian  Cutting. 

(He  had  before  said,  in  Israel's  hearing,  that  he  had 
laid  out  to  be  the  means  of  converting  fifty  thousand 
souls  before  he  left  this  world). 

In  a  similar  strain  he  went  on  till  the  bell  rung 
announcing  the  time  to  close. 

After  supper,  and  before  the  time  for  the  evening 
sermon,  Israel  was  in  one  of  the  tents,  whither  he  had 
been  invited  by  some  friends  of  slight  acquaintance 
who  belonged  to  the  society  which  occupied  it. 

A  class  meeting  was  in  progress  there.  After  sing- 
ing and  prayer,  a  young  minister  spoke  a  few  words 
explanatory  of  his  own  feelings  at  that  particular  time, 
and  invited  all  present  to  do  likewise.  The  purport 
of  what  he  said  was  that  religion  never  had  appeared 
better  to  him  than  it  did  at  that  moment.  He  loved 
the  work  in  which  he  was  engaged ;  he  loved  all 
his  brethren  and  sisters,  and  hoped  he  should  meet 
them  all  at  last  in  heaven.  This  was  good ;  but  as  . 


124  AMONG    THE    METHODISTS. 

nearly  every  one  present,  in  regular  succession,  gave 
in  a  not  very  dissimilar  testimony,  Israel  began  to 
think  that  a  change,  even  for  the  worse,  would  be 
a  relief.  He  was  about  to  dismiss  this  thought  as 
a  temptation,  when  he  was  asked  to  speak.  The 
nature  of  his  own  private  feelings  seemed  to  him  too 
sacred  to  parade  there  before  all  that  tent's  company. 
He  was  not  accustomed  to  such  an  exhibition  of 
himself,  and  respectfully  asked  to  be  excused. 

"  Speak,  brother,"  said  a  friend  who  sat  next  him, 
"  speak  a  word  for  the  Master."  He  was  silent,  and 
looked  down  heavily  upon  the  straw.  Forty-six  eyes 
were  fastened  on  him,  and  for  that  moment,  Napoleon 
at  St.  Helena  did  not  feel  more  painfully  than  he  did. 

"Tell  us,  young  friend,"  spoke  the  minister,  "just 
how  you  feel.  Christ  is  a  present  Saviour,  and  he  gives 
a  full  and  free  salvation  just  now,  if  we  ask  it.  Are 
you  willing  to  be  saved  from  all  your  sins  ?  " 

Still  he  answered  nothing.  If  he  told  them  "just 
how  "  he  felt  then,  he  would  have  said  that  their  ex- 
ercise had  begun  to  seem  tiresome  to  him.  To  tell 
them  of  his  present  views  and  purposes,  he  did  not 
deem  meet  for  the  time  or  place.  His  present  sins 
he  reserved  for  his  closet,  and  not  for  any  human  con- 
fessional, private  or  public. 

He  was  then  addressed  as  though  he  were  not  one 
of  them,  or  in  other  words,  not  a  Christian.  They 
hoped  he  would  soon  be  made  willing  to  testify  for 
the  Master. 

This  was  all  in  keeping  with  Methodist  estates,  or 
orders  of  spiritual  government.  With  these  estates, 
the  article  of  speech  has  prime  value.  Without  it, 


THE    FOLD    OF 


FLpCKS.  125 


religious  character  is  a  paradox,  something  to  be 
doubted,  and  to  be  disciplined.  A  multitude  of  sins 
are  covered  by  Methodist  "  testimony." 

Israel  being  new  to  this  economy,,  he  did  not  com- 
prehend it.  He  began  to  consider  from  left  to  right,  — 
no  longer  in  Hebrew  style,  but  in  that  of  Saxon  com- 
mon sense.  He  asked  himself  if  these  people  were 
right  in  their  judgments,  based  on  premises  so  slight 
and  insufficient?  If  they  condemned  upon  such 
grounds,  they  might  also  "  save  "  in  like  manner.  It 
seemed  to  him  that  they  put  themselves  in  the  place  of 
Christ,  hardly  less  than  did  the  "Vicegerent  of  Rome." 

The  singing  of  one  of  the  beautiful  hymns,  which 
these  people  sing  in  an  almost  unequalled  style,  for  the 
time  restored  his  equanimity,  and  with  it  came  his 
confidence,  though  its  wings  were  no  longer  plumed. 

The  evening  sermon  was  upon  holiness.  Many 
passages  of  Scripture  were  ingeniously  quoted  to 
prove  the  doctrine.  The  theory  was  adapted  to  the 
comfort  of  all  who  were  hungering  and  thirsting  after 
righteousness.  Israel  listened  with  reverent  attention. 
Some  .of  it  was  in  this  wise  :  — 

*  "  Christian  Perfection  or  Holiness  is  that  state 
of  grace  which  excludes  all  sin  from  the  heart. 
'  Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart.'  '  Create  in  me  a 
clean  heart,  O  God  ! '  '  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ, 
his  Son,  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin.'  '  Being  made 
free  from  sin,  ye  have  your  fruit  unto  holiness,  and 
the  end  everlasting  life.' 

*  These  words  on  Christian  Perfection  are  taken  from  a 
work  entitled  '•'•Perfect  Love." 


126  AMON9   THE    METHODISTS. 

"The  difference  between  regeneration  and  sanctifi- 
cation  is  —  The  man  who  is  merely  regenerated  is 
but  partially  saved  from  sin,  while  the  sanctified  is 
wholly  saved.  The  regenerated  soul  does  not  commit 
sin,  though  he  is  conscious  of  remaining  inbred  sin. 
The  sanctified  soul  neither  commits  sin  nor  feels  any 
consciousness  of  remaining  inbred  sin.  In  justifica- 
tion, the  strong  man  is  bound',  in  sanctification,  he  is 
cast  out. 

"  The  graces  of  the  spirit  exist  in  the  entirely  sanc- 
tified without  alloy.  The  graces  in  the  sanctified  are 
perfect  in  kind,  but  limited  in  degree.  Regeneration 
affords  victory  over  sin  subdued ;  sanctification  gives 
victory  over  sin  exterminated  and  cast  out,  so  that  all 
the  graces  of  the  spirit  exist  perfect  in  kind  —  that  is, 
to  the  exclusion  of  their  opposites. 

"  Sanctification  does  not  add  any  new  virtues  to  the 
soul.  It  simply  cleanses  the  soul  from  all  in-dwelling 
sin,  so  as  to  allow  the  graces  implanted  in  the  soul  at 
regeneration  to  exist  without  alloy,  or  without  their 
opposites  in  the  heart. 

"  The  cause  of  so  much  prejudice  and  opposition  to 
the  doctrine  of  holiness  among  professors  of  religion 
is  that  the  doctrine  has  been  misunderstood.  It  has 
generally  been  taken  to  mean  more  than  was  intended, 
and  more  than  was  taught  by  the  standards  of  the 
Church. 

"  We  teach  absolute  perfection  in  none  but  God. 
The  brightest,  the  highest,  the  sweetest,  and  the  most 
lovely  angel  in  paradise  is  not  absolutely  perfect. 
In  this  sense,  '  there  is  none  good  but  one,  that  is 
God.' 


THE    FOLD    OF   FLOCKS.  127 

"We  teach  no  angelic  perfection  in  man  while  he 
is  out  of  heaven.  In  this  world  we  must  be  contented 
with  Christian  perfection,  which,  according  to  Mr. 
Wesley,  is  '  pure  love  reigning  alone  in  the  heart  and 
life.' 

"  The  sanctified  soul  trusts  more  perfectly  and  con- 
stantly in  the  atonement  than  any  other.  He,  more 
than  any  other  man,  feels 

'  Every  moment,  Lord,  I  need 
The  merit  of  thy  death.' 

"  Christian  Perfection  does  not  exclude  the  possi- 
bility of  growing  in  grace.  The  pure  in  heart  grow 
faster  than  any  others.  There  is  no  standing  still  in 
religion  or  sin.  We  are  either  progressing  or  re- 
ceding. If  we  are  neglecting  present  duty,  we  are 
backsliding,  however  great  our  attainments  may  have 
been. 

"  Christian  Perfection  does  not  exclude  a  liability 
to  temptation.  Our  holy  Saviour  was  tempted.  So 
long  as  we  are  in  an  unholy  world,  we  may  expect  to 
be  tempted.  It  is  no  sin  to  be  tempted,  provided 
proper  caution  has  been  used  to  avoid  the  occasions 
of  temptation. 

"  Christian  Perfection  does  not  exclude  the  possi- 
bility of  falling  away ;  but  it  renders  it  much  less 
probable.  We  must  wait  for  absolute  security  until 
we  arrive  at  heaven.  Hence,  we  are  to  '  work  out  our 
salvation  with  fear  and  trembling.' 

"  No  temptation  or  evil  suggestion  to  the  mind  be- 
comes sin  till  it  is  tolerated.  Sin  consists  in  yielding 
to  temptation.  So  long  as  the  soul  maintains  its 


128  AMONG   THE    METHODISTS. 

integrity,  so  that  temptation  finds  no  sympathy  within, 
no  sin  is  committed,  and  the  soul  remains  unharmed, 
no  matter  how  protracted  or  severe  the  fiery  trial  may 
prove. 

"Christian  Perfection  does  not  make  any  one  per- 
fect in  knowledge.  Of  those  sanctified  wholly,  it  may 
be  emphatically  said,  they  'walk  in  the  light,  as  he 
is  in  the  light.'  The  perfect  in  love  have  a  more  clear 
apprehension  of  God,  of  His  presence,  and  of  spiritual 
tilings,  (other  things  being  equal),  than  any  other. 

'•  Christian  Perfection  does  not  exclude  the  infirm- 
ities of  human  nature,  —  such  as  slowness  of  under- 
standing, errors  of  judgment,  mistakes  in  practice, 
erratic  imaginations,  a  treacherous  memory,  etc. 

"  Holiness  may  be  perfect,  and  yet  be  progressive. 
It  is  complete  in  the  sanctified  soul  in  kind,  but  limited 
in  degree.  Perfection  in  quality  does  not  exclude 
increase  in  quantity.  The  capacities  of  the  soul  are 
progressive,  and  holiness  should  increase  in  a  measure 
corresponding  to  its  increasing  capacity.  Faith,  love, 
humility,  and  patience  may  be  perfect  in  kind,  and 
yet  increase  in  volume  and  power  —  in  measure." 

At  the  close  of  this  sermon,  another  preacher  arose, 
and  in  a  few  words  gave  his  testimony  of  the  posses- 
sion of  the  "  Second  Blessing,"  and  urging  all  those 
present  who  had  this  witness,  to  profess  it  —  laying 
much  stress  upon  the  idea  that  the  blessing  of  entire 
-sanctification  could  not  be  retained  without  confessing 
its  possession  on  all  suitable  occasions.  He  also  cited 
standard  authorities  in  proof  of  this. 

Israel  thought  of  these  words  found  in  Romans 
14  :  22  :  "  Hast  thou  faith?  Have  it  to  thyself  before 


THE    FOLD    OF   FLOCKS.  129 

God,"  and  wondered  what  disposition  this  man  would 
make  of  them. 

One  after  another,  both  men  and  women,  young 
men  and  young  girls,  rose  before  all  that  numerous 
audience,  and  said  like  this  :  — 

"  By  faith  in  the  atoning  blood  of  my  Saviour,  I  am 
saved  from  all  sin,  and  live  now  with  the  Spirit  wit- 
nessing to  my  spirit  that  I  am  clean." 

Or,  in  these  words :  "  At  [a  given  time]  I  reckoned 
myself  to  be  dead  unto  sin  but  alive  unto  God  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  Praise  to  the  grace  which 
saves." 

Israel  said  to  himself:  "This  may  all  be  true,  but 
how  can  I  reconcile  it  with  the  scriptural  command, 
"  in  lowliness  of  mind  let  each  esteem  the  other  better 
than  themselves.  Look  not  every  man  on  his  own 
things,  but  every  man  also  on  the  things  of  others." 
Christ's  own  account  of  the  Pharisee  and  the  Pub- 
lican also  presented  itself  at  that  time. 

After  this  kind  of  testimony,  a  short  exhortation 
was  given  to  all  present  who  had  the  blessing  of  justi- 
fication, to  seek  "just  now"  the  blessing  of  sanctifica- 
tion.  The  seats  around  the  altar  were  cleared  while 
this  verse  was  sung  :  — 

"Break  off  the  yoke  of  inbred  sin, 

And  fully  set  my  spirit  free ; 
I  cannot  rest  till  pure  within  — 
Till  I  am  wholly  lost  in  thee." 

Several  short,  earnest  prayers  to  the  present  object 
were  now  offered,  a  few  more  words  from  the  leader 
of  the  occasion  spoken,  and  then  it  was  urged  that  all 

9 


130  AMONG   THE    METHODISTS. 

who  had  now  obtained  the  second  blessing  should  rise, 
and  in  the  fewest  words,  profess  it. 

A  young  girl  was  one  of  the  first  to  testify  that  she 
was  now  saved  from  all  sin.  Others,  in  quick  succes- 
sion, followed,  till  some  twenty  persons  had  professed 
to  the  new  possession. 

These  words,  with  other  similar  ones,  were  sung  in 
a  remarkably  solemn  manner :  — 

"  The  world  is  overcome  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb ! 
My  sins  are  washed  away  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb ! 
The  devil 's  overcome  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb ! 
I've  lost  the  fear  of  death  through  the  blood  of  the  Lamb  ! 
The  martyrs  overcame  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb ! 
I  hope  to  gain  the  skies  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb ! " 

"If  it  is  really  so,"  reflected  Israel,  "that  these 
persons  have  now  overcome  the  world,  the  flesh  and 
the  devil,  and  have  arrived  at  that  heavenly  state  which 
was  enjoyed  by  the  martyrs  and  saints  of  all  ages  in 
their  hours  of  death,  this  must  be  called  the  very  gate 
of  heaven." 

These  scenes  deeply  impressed  him.  Afterwards, 
when  he  had  entered  the  tent  whither  Cyprian  Cutting 
invited  him  to  tarry  for  that  night,  he  could  not  but 
reflect  earnestly  upon  this,  to  him,  new  doctrine. 
But  the  scenes  which  soon  transpired  around  him, 
the  night-worship  —  the  getting  ready  to  lie  down 
upon  the  straw  under  a  blanket,  and  with  a  carpet-bag 
for  a  pillow,  while  nothing  but  a  canvas  divided  them 
from  the  women,  who  seemed  to  talk  incessantly 
during  their  similar  process,  scarcely  interrupted  by 
the  cries  of  infants  —  drove  away  these  reflections  for 


THE    FOLD    OP   FLOCKS.  131 

the  present.  Every  once  in  a  few  moments,  for  hours, 
Cyprian  cried  out  in  stentorian  tones,  "Glory  to  God ! 
O,  I  am  on  the  mount !  "  Similar  sounds  were  heard 
also  from  one  of  the  adjoining  tents  ;  and  in  another, 
a  meeting  of  the  most  arousing  description  was  in 
progress  all  night. 

It  is  contrary  to  the  rules  of  the  camp-meeting  to 
have  meetings  in  the  tents,  or  other  disturbances,  after 
ten  o'clock ;  but  on  the  later  nights  of  the  week,  this 
rule,  under  extraordinary  occasions,  is  sometimes  sus- 
pended or  ignored. 

Israel  found  it  impossible  for  him  to  shut  his  eyes 
in  sleep  ;  he  therefore  arose  and  went  to  the  tent  where 
the  meeting  was  in  progress.  Here  he  perceived  that 
two  or  three  persons  lay  in  the  arms  of  others  of  their 
own  sex,  apparently  in  a  stupor ;  one  of  them  occa- 
sionally rallied  sufficiently  to  shout.  On  inquiry,  he 
was  told  that  these  had  passed  into  that  state  which  is 
called  "  losing  the  strength." 

He  ventured  to  ask  a  man  who  seemed  inclined  to 
talk  with  him,  if  there  was  any  spiritual  authority 
for  this  demonstration ;  and  was  referred  to  the 
example  of  Saul  of  Tarsus,  who  was  on  his  way 
to  Damascus ;  to  the  case  of  the  prophet  Daniel, 
who  says  when  he  saw  the  "great  vision,"  "and 
there  remained  no  strength  in  me ; "  and  to  John, 
in  the  Apocalypse,  who  saw  the  one  in  the  midst  of 
the  seven  golden  candlesticks,  and  "fell  at  his  feet 
as  dead." 

"  Were  not  those  more  extraordinary  cases  than  it 
is  possible  for  any  of  these  to  be  ? "  asked  Israel ; 
"Those  persons  saw  Christ  himself,  or  at  least  his 


132  AMONG    THE    METHODISTS. 

angels,  which  sufficiently  accounts  for  their  remark- 
able prostration." 

"But  these,"  continued  the  other,  "have  had  revela- 
tions, by  the  power  of  great  faith,  here  to-night,  in 
answer  to  prevailing  and  almost  unceasing  prayer,  as 
great,  comparatively  speaking,  as  the  divine  ones. 
Friend  !  have  you  ever  been  converted  ?  "  he  suddenly 
asked. 

"I  trust  I  have,"  answered  Israel,  in  a  modest 
tone. 

"  Then  you  will  understand  what  I  mean,"  he  con- 
tinued, "  when  I  say  that  the  soul,  convicted  of  its 
need  of  the  application  of  the  cleansing  blood  —  and 
truly  seeing  itself,  and  also  having  a  clearer  vision 
than  ever  before  of  the  pure  and  infinitely  holy  Jesus, 
might,  under  certain  favorable  physical  circumstances, 
lose  its  power  of  self-control,  and  to  appearance  be- 
come as  dead.  We  have  had  a  glorious  meeting 
to-night,  and  Jesus  has  been  right  here  in  our  midst, 
doing  wonders,  whereof  we  are  glad,  and  rejoice  with 
exceeding  great  joy." 

"  It  may  be  so  "  answered  Israel  reverently  ;  "  and 
I  would  not  be  one  to  speak  a  word  or  harbor  a  thought 
against  the  possibilities  of  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
Yet  I  remember  that  when  Job  saw  the  Lord,  or  his 
angel,  it  affected  him  with  supreme  self-abasement  as 
never  before  ;  '  but  now  mine  eye  seeth  thee,  where- 
fore I  abhor  myself,  and  repent  in  dust,  and  ashes.' 
Less  than  ever,  did  he  feel  that  he  was  holy" 

"  With  the  doctrine  of  holiness,"  answered  the 
man,  "  I  have  not  much  to  do.  It  may  be  true  and 
it  may  not." 


THE    FOLD    OF    FLOCKS.  133 

"  What !  then  you,  sir,  are  not  a  Methodist?  "  asked 
Israel. 

"I've  been  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Church 
since  I  was  fifteen  years  old.  I  was  converted  at  a 
place  much  like  this,"  he  replied. 

"  I  thought  all  Methodists,  that  is,  all  who  continue 
steadfast  in  the  doctrine  of  the  Church,  believed  and 
taught  Holiness  or  Christian  Perfection,"  said  Israel. 

The  man  shook  his  head. 

"  I  suppose  it's  generally  thought  so,"  'he  said,  "  but 
not  half  of  our  people  think  much  about  it  any  way. 
Half  of  those  who  look  into  it  at  all,  are  ready  to  offer 
a  reward  for  the  sight  of  a  perfect  man  or  woman, 
since  they  never  yet  have  seen  one." 

"  The  sermon,  certainly,  was  a  good  one,  which 
we  had  this  evening  on  that  subject,"  continued  Israel. 

"  O  yes,  very  good  for  theory — very  good  to  awaken 
the  people.  I  guess  you  are  not  used  to  camp-meet- 
ings, are  you?" 

"  This  is  my  first  attendance,"  said  Israel. 

"Like  it?"  he  continued. 

"  I  have  not  yet  made  up  my  mind,"  said  Israel. 

At  this  juncture,  the  shouting  and  the  singing  be- 
came so  powerfully  sonorous,  the  conversation  had  to 
be  suspended. 


AMONG    THE    METHODISTS. 


CHAPTER    V. 

AN   OLD    MAN'S    OPINION   OF   METHODISM. 

THE  more 'Israel  observed  of  this  people,  the  more 
undecided  was  he  what  course  to  pursue  respecting 
them.  Some  features  of  their  faith  and  also  of  their 
practice  commended  themselves  strongly  to  his  appro- 
bation ;  of  certain  others  he  was  in  doubt ;  and  yet 
others  he  wholly  disliked. 

He  wrote  to  his  guardian  for  advice,  and  received 
the  following :  — 

"You  ask  me  my  opinion  of  the  Methodists,  so 
called  —  referring,  I  conclude,  to  the  largest  body  of 
that  family  in  this  country.  Never  was  there  a  more 
palpable  misnomer.  A  set  of  doctors  of  medicine, 
who  lived  about  a  century  before  Christ,  first  wore  it, 
for  what  reason  I  know  not,  unless  it  was  that  they 
killed  systematically.  In  the  seventeenth  century, 
certain  Roman  Catholics,  who  could  split  a  hair 
between  their  dogmas  and  those  of  the  Protestants, 
were  called  Methodists. 

"In  1 729,  in  England,  there  arose  a  '  godly  club,' 
headed  by  John  Wesley,  to  which  this  name  ^was 
finally  fixed.  You  had  better  hunt  up  an  account  of 
this  religious  movement,  which  is  considered  by  the 


AN   OLD    MAN'S    OPINION   OF   METHODISM.        135 

impartial  historian  one  of  the  most  remarkable  events 
that  ever  happened  in  the  annals  of  all  Christendom. 
A  great  deal  of  its  notoriety  is  derived  from  the  fact 
of  the  then  existing  corruptions  of  the  old  Church  of 
England,  which  furnished  a  splendid  dark  background 
for  the  new  lights  and  strange  shadows  of  the  doings 
of  these  people. 

"John  Wesley  was  somewhat  like  Job.  He,  at  first, 
sat  down  among  the  ashes  of  the  mother  church,  with 
his  three  friends  for  counsellors,  and  scraped  himself 
of  its  prevailing  sins  with  the  potsherd  of  self-denial, 
lie  then  prepared  himself  by  fasting  and  prayer,  with 
works  of  charity,  for  his  future  mission. 

"After  a  time  he  took  a  wife,  and  he  thought  she 
spoke  like  one  of  the  foolish  women,  and  deported 
herself  still  more  like  a  fool,  in  being  jealous  of  him. 
But  not  many  women  would  bear  to  have  their  hus- 
bands away  from  them  most  of  the  time,  in  all  sorts  of 
places,  though  preaching,  and  writing  meanwhile  the 
most  'bowel-moving'  letters  to  hosts  of  women,  any 
more  gracefully  than  did  Mrs.  Wesley. 

"  Like  Job,  also,  he  lost  his  old  estate  in  the  estab- 
lishment, but  finally  came  out  with  great  possessions, 
so  that  his  latter  end  was  blessed  of  the  Lord  to  the 
surprise  of  himself  and  everybody  else. 

"John  Wesley  had  executive  talent,  education,  and 
an  indomitable  will ;  but  he  was  narrow,  tyrannical, 
and  superstitious.  [I  use  this  last  word  not  as  infidels 
employ  it,  to  fling  a  stone  at  the  rites  of  true  piety,  but 
simply  as  a  Christian  does  when  contemplating  erratic 
bondage  to  idle  and  unauthorized  fancies]. 

"  In  proof  that  he  was  narrow,  it  is  only  necessary 


136  AMONG    THE    METHODISTS. 

to  refer  to  his  slavish  adherence,  to  the  Church  of 
England,  and  his  general  views  of  the  progress  of  true 
religion  in  the  world —  as  though  it  were  a  sin  to  send 
out  the  gospel  of  a  free  salvation  in  any  other  groove 
than  the  old,  well-worn  one,  which  he  thought  cut  out 
by  Christ  and  his  apostles. 

"  That  he  was  tyrannical  is  clear  enough  in  every 
chapter  of  his  history.  His  whole  system,  though 
professedly  a  free,  democratic  one,  is  a  system  of 
tyranny  over  the  will,  the  conscience,  and  the  actions, 
to  the  most  minute  degree.  His  ministers  were  ham- 
pered at  every  turn  by  numerous  petty  rules,  which 
extended  even  to  what  they  should  say  in  private,  and 
just  how  long  they  were  to  say  it.  He  told  them,  as  a 
clincher  to  his  long  list  of  '  duties,'  that  they  were  to 
act  in  all  things  not  according  to  their  own  will,  but 
as  a  son  in  the  gospel,  and  in  union  with  their 
brethren  —  which  meant  as  a  son  to  him  and  in  union 
with  him.  Their  rules,  which  were  all  framed  and 
sealed  by  himself,  he  concluded  in  this  manner  :  '  Re- 
member, a  Methodist  preacher  is  to  mind  every 
point,  great  and  small,  in  the  Methodist  discipline  ; 
therefore  you  will  need  all  the  grace  and  all  the  sense 
you  have,  and  to  have  all  your  wits  about  yor  ' 

"  He  taught  toryism  to  his  followers  who  were  in 
America  at  the  time  of  the  Revolution.  He  was 
strongly  opposed  to  the  independence  of  the  colonies 
until  time  and  circumstance  compelled  him  to  be  silent. 
He  believed  in  keeping  people  under  a  monarchy  both 
of  state  and  church  —  the  first  to  be  centred  in  a  king ; 
the  last  in  John  Wesley,  as  a  delegated  power  from 
the  establishment.  For  well-organized  tyranny,  the 


AN  OLD  -MAN'S  OPINION  OF  METHODISM.       137 

Wesleyan  see  is  second  to  no  other  contemporaneous 
power. 

"  That  Wesley  was  superstitious  is  shown  by  his 
heed  to  apparitions,  noises,  dreams,  and  demoniacal 
possession.  It  is  true  that  Scripture  warrants  some 
belief  in  these  things,  but  a  wise  man  will  remember 
that  '  secret  things  belong  to  God,'  and  be  careful  how 
he  intermeddles  therewith.  From  this  demonstration 
of  himself,  though  considerably  guarded  in  his  own 
case,  has  radiated  all  kinds  of  fanaticism  in  his  fol- 
lowers. 

"  It  is  certain  that  Wesley  did  much  good.  He  was 
an  apostle  of  reform  to  the  ignorant  and  degraded. 
God  raised  him  up  for  a  particular. era,  and  for  a 
special  purpose.  He  is  entitled  to  the  qualified  re- 
gard of  all  good  men  for  what  he  accomplished. 

"  Philip  Embury,  who  had  been  a  local  preacher  in 
Ireland,  was  the  first  to  start  Methodism  in  America, 
in  the  year  1766.  The  inauguration  of  his  work 
originated  in  this  manner :  Barbara  Heck,  a  pious 
Irishwoman  in  New  York,  found  this  Embury  one 
day  with  a  set  of  other  fellows  who  were  playing 
cards.  She  threw  the  pack  into  the  fire,  and  said  to 
Embury,  '  You  must  preach  to  us,  or  we  shall  all  go 
to  hell  together,  and  God  will  require  our  blood  at 
your  hands.'  And  this  man  received  her  admonition, 
and  began  to  preach  in  a  private  house,  afterwards  in 
a  rigger's  loft. 

"  From  this  beginning,  Methodism  has  become  a 
power  in  our  land,  eminent  for  its  activity  and  numer- 
ical strength.  Like  Ephraim,  while  it  was  trembling 
in  Israel,  it  prospered  ;  but  as  soon  as  it  began  to  exalt 


IjS  AMONG    THE    METHODISTS. 

itself  in  worldly  pride,  its  spiritual  power  declined. 
Its  present  history  is  strangely  inconsistent  with  its 
real  life.  Once  it  was  adorned  with  humility  and  self- 
sacrifice  ;  now  it  vaunts  itself  in  gold  and  the  tricks 
of  mammon.  It  is  second  to  no  other  sect  in  its  aspi- 
rations for  vain  show.  Its  ministers  adorn  themselves 
with  gold  baubles,  use  great  swelling  words  about  the 
progress  of  their  sect,  and  are  all  athirst  for  power. 
They  are  often  unreliable,  and  treacherous  even  to 
each  other.  No  more  regard  is  now  paid  to  Wesley's 
'  Rules '  than  to  the  traditions  of  Prester  John. 

"  Methodism  is  adapted  to  the  ignorant  and  to  the 
worldly  wise  or  managing  leaders.  It  is  jealous  of 
'  lay-representation,'  of  the  most  liberal  education,  and 
of  refined  culture. 

"  Its  periodicals  represent  their  peculiar  style  of 
doing  and  saying.  Take  up  its  leading  newspaper 
and  read  at  random  ;  the  editor,  who  has  received 
catholic  culture  to  an  unusual  degree,  is  justly  cel- 
ebrated as  one  of  their  prominent  men  ;  you  will  find 
most  undignified  and  common,  often  coarse,  phrases 
used  by  contributors  in  allusion  to  subjects  of  the 
highest  and  gravest  import. 

"  The  annals  of  its  centenary  year  attained  the  cul- 
mination of  ridiculous  folly.  The  adventures  of  Don 
Quixote  pale  beside  the  color  of  its  denominational 
nonsense.  False  as  fair  were  its  continual  boasts  of 
what  it  had  achieved  and  was  still  doing.  Its  state- 
ments of  what  it  was  giving  were  most  like  the  old 
riddle  of  going  to  St.  Ives.  An  observer,  on  examin- 
ing closely  into  the  matter,  found  that,  save  the  alleged 
4  subscriptions  '  and  '  pledges,'  with  a  few  really  mag- 


AN    OLD    MAN  S    OPINION    OF    METHODISM.         139 

nificent  donations  advanced,  there  was  but  a  compar- 
atively small  basis  for  the  foundation.  In  connection 
with  all  these  vaunts,  the  name  of  Wesley  was 
recorded  ten  times  to  that  of  Jesus  Christ  once.  This 
name  of  a  faulty  man  is  nailed  like  a  horseshoe  to  all 
their  public  edifices  and  denominational  movements. 
Every  tenth  baby  of  them  all  receives  it  for  his  life- 
dower. 

"  The  round  numbers  footed  up  under  this  name 
are  the  crown-diamonds  of  this  people  who  aspire  to 
royalty.  If  the  anger  of  the  Lord  was  kindled  against 
David,  when  he,  in  his  pride,  numbered  the  people  ; 
and  also  against  Hezekiah,  who  displayed  unto  the 
Prince  of  Babylon  all  that  was  in  his  house  and  in  all 
his  dominions,  including  the  silver  and  gold,  what 
shall  this  people  say,  in  the  time  of  the  Lord's  visita- 
tion? When  Elijah  was  in  the  cave  of  contemplation, 
he  was  taught  that  the  Lord  was  not  in  the  great 
strong  wind,  which  rent  the  mountains  and  brake  in 
pieces  the  rocks  before  him ;  nor  was  He  in  the  earth- 
quake, nor  yet  in  the  fire.  The  still,  small  voice 
spoke  the  will  of  the  Lord. 

Truly  yours, 

EPHRAIM  STEARNS." 


AMONG    THE    METHODISTS. 


CHAPTE  R  VI. 

THE  METHODIST  ANNUAL  CONFERENCE. 

NOT  wholly  satisfied  with  the  opinions  of  his  guar- 
dian, Israel  determined  to  make  further  observations. 

In  the  following  spring  he  attended  the  Annual 
Conference  of  this  people,  which,  this  year,  met  in 
one  of  the  inland  cities.  During  this  session  he  kept 
a  journal,  extracts  from  which  follow  :  — 

"  I  had  a  curiosity  to  see  the  Bishop  who  presided 
on  this  occasion,  as  he  has  the  reputation  of  being  a 
great  man  in  the  Methodist  House  of  Zion.  Probably 
he  is  better  known  outside  of  his  own  denomination 
than  any  other  of  his  colleagues.  His  appearance 
is  hieroglyphic.  It  is  common-place  at  the  first  glance  ; 
ugly  at  the  second  ;  but  by-and-by  he  gives  one  the 
impression  of  a  man  of  power.  It  is,  however,  the 
power  of  a  strong  man  by  nature  rather  than  by  culti- 
vation. His  look  reveals  a  silent  but  mighty  struggle 
with  his  destiny,  or  rather,  wfyat  with  ordinary  men 
under  the  same  circumstances  would  have  been 
his  destiny.  His  will  must  have  been  fire-proof.  He 
governs  men  and  religious  bodies  by  this  latent  power. 
Sometime,  if  not  now,  he  must  have  been  a  man  of 
sorrows.  You  see  in  his  face  much  that  you  your- 
self have  endured.  Hence  his  charm  over  his  hearers. 


THE    METHODIST    ANNUAL    CONFERENCE.          141 

"When  he  speaks,  I  am  disappointed,  even  more 
than  when  I  first  saw  him.  His  voice  is  certainly  a 
tone,  superadded  to  which  is  a  wave  of  brogue.  He 
is  called  an  orator.  My  ideas  of  what  constitutes  an 
orator  are  now  all  at  fault,  or  else  this  man  is  not 
what  he  is  called.  As  a  presiding  officer  he  is  calm, 
dignified,  correct. 

"  This  body  of  men  is  a  study  from  my  position  in 
the  gallery.  It  includes  more  stars  and  comets  than 
did  the  camp-meeting  stand. 

"  To-day  an  old  friend  from  this  city  dropped  in 
upon  me  accidentally,  and  volunteered  some  informa- 
tion. He  is  not  a  Methodist,  and  therefore  his  views 
are  not  altogether  reliable  respecting  this  people,  but  I 
listened  with  attention. 

"  '  There,'  said  he,  pointing  out  a  man  who  sat  in 
one  of  the  front  seats,  '  is  the  presiding  elder  of  one 
of  the  districts.  He  is  a  great  operator,  and  is  noted 
for  his  long  and  methodically  worded  prayers.  A 
good  and  kind  man  at  heart,  withal  discreet.  He 
knows  enough  to  be  silent  when  he  should.  Astute, 
meditative,  but  intensely  active  in  the  cabinet.' 

"What  cabinet?"  I  asked. 

"'Don't  you  know  that  the  presiding  bishop  and 
all  the  elders  of  a  conference  are  called  the  cabinet? 
They  lay  their  heads  together  and  concoct  the  appoint- 
ments. But  committees  from  the  churches  have  more 
than  half  to  do  with  this  business.  There  is  as  much 
pipe-laying  about  the  appointments  assigned  to  the 
itinerants,  as  at  any  political  campaign  of  the  same 
magnitude  of  interest.' 

"  '  Possible  ! '  I  rejoined,   '  when  only  last  week  I 


142  AMONG    THE    METHODISTS. 

read  in  a  Methodist  paper  the  devout  prayer  that  the 
people  might  receive  their  preachers  as  sent  to  them 
by  the  head  of  the  church.' 

" '  O  yes,  I  dare  say.  But  the  head  of  the  church 
has  no  more  to  do  with  it  than  with  the  election  of  a 
fence-viewer  or  councilman.  In  both  and  all  cases 
it  is  providential,  or  systematically  the  work  of  shrewd 
tactics,  just  as  you  regard  the  science  of  cause  and 
effect.' 

"  '  Here  comes  one  of  the  stars  of  the  Conference,' 
he  went  on.  I  looked  and  saw  a  man,  rotund,  sleek, 
noisy,  but  not  swift. 

"My  companion  continued,  'This  is  a  mesmeric 
man.  All  the  conditions  laid  down  in  the  psycholog- 
ical canon  are  fulfilled  in  his  getting  up.  He  is  one 
who  gets  on.  Unlike  the  orthodox  apostles  of  the 
most  Christian  Church,  he  speaks  to  everybody  whom 
he  meets — child,  maiden,  boy,  and  hoary-haired. 
Even  the  lamp-posts  of  the  street  receive  a  blessing 
from  his  ample  jshadow.  He  is  not  unctuous,  but 
simply  gracious. 

" '  In  result,  he  wins  place  and  honor  from  second- 
rate  appointments,  for  his  limited  intellectual  acquire- 
ments forbid  his  engineering  the  largest  steamers  of 
the  line.  When  I  say  place  and  honor,  I  refer  to 
side  issues,  as  election  to  political  office. 

"  '  He  prophesies  to  the  people  smooth  things  with 
a  loud,  sonorous  voice.  It  pays,  as  this  thing  always 
will  pay.  [If  ever  you  take  to  prophesying,  either  by 
word  of  mouth  or  pen,  remember  this  and  copy  Tray. 
Have  no  shadows  in  your  pictures  of  men  and  their 
manners,  only  just  enough  to  bring  out  the  high  lights 


THE    METHODIST    ANNUAL    CONFERENCE.          143 

that  you  lay  on  with  palette-knife.  Scurr>ble  all  your 
work  with  a  semi-opaque  toadyism].' 

" '  This  man,  not  unlike  his  predecessor,  finds  money 
in  the  fish's  mouth,  even  when  he  casts  his  eloquent 
eyes  officially  upon  the  old  specimen  suspended  in  the 
Hall  of  Representatives.  Brother  Bunsen  is  a  com- 
fortable individual.  I  wish  him  well.  He  wishes 
well  to  himself.  All  the  people  respond,  "Amen."' 

"  I  was  on  the  point  of  remonstrating  with  my 
old  classmate  for  his  characteristic  irreverence,  when 
he  gave  me  an  unwarrantable  jog,  and  whispered, 
'  Behold  that  youth,  just  booked  for  an  advanced  stride 
in  the  orders.  Not  yet  in  full  blast,  he  does  preaching 
occasionally  by  the  job.  Meantime,  he  works  at  teach- 
ing, and  goes  by  the  title  bestowed  by  his  people  on 
all  their  male  teachers  and  soap-venders  —  Professor  ! 
I  should  say,  all  who  are  not  D.  D.  Mark  his  car- 
nage. Like  a  suddenly  loosed  colt,  he  bounds  up  the 
aisle,  tossing  his  "ambrosial  locks"  to  the  right  and 
left,  and  snuffing  the  air  with  a  supreme  consciousness 
that  his  days,  being  all  halcyon,  are  swifter  than  a 
weaver's  shuttle.  A  clerical  gymnast  is  this  hero. 
That  is  to  say,  he  takes  preaching  as  one  takes  the 
bag  of  beans  and  dumb-bells,  in  order  to  develop  the 
muscles  and  chest. 

'"Mistake  him  not  for  a  fool.  He  graduated  with 
honors,  and  devours  books  voraciously.  Moreover,  he 
has  ideas.  One  of  them  is,  that  this  world  was  not 
made  in  six  days,  because,  forsooth,  it  would  have 
taken  longer  to  have  conceived  the  plan  and  power  of 
Methodism. 

"  '  The  plan  and  power  of  Methodism  have  repre- 


1^4  AMONG    THE    METHODISTS. 

sentative-men,  as  the  ostrich  has  eggs.  Himself  is 
one  of  these  eggs.  It  pips  at  the  Annual  Conference. 
Anon,  it  will  hatch,  and  lo  !  a  full-fledged,  strange 
ostrich,  which  shall  out-run  the  north  wind.  Vulcan, 
you  know,  was  educated  in  heaven,  and,  doubtless, 
would  have  always  remained  there,  had  he  not  been 
kicked  out.  That  kick,  however,  made  him,  —  as  one 
in  the  stomach  by  a  co-laborer,  —  made  Sir  Isaac  New- 
ton. This  young  man  believes  in  making  people. 
There  is  power  in  the  toe  of  his  right  boot.' 

"  I  should  so  infer,"  I  replied,  laughing,  "  by  the 
noise  of  his  unusual  tramp  ;  but  this  making  people 
is  as  dangerous  business  as  working  in  a  powder  mill. 
There  is  a  verse  in  the  Bible  that  reads  something  like 
this :  '  He  that  rolleth  a  stone,  it  shall  return  upon 
him.'  Milton  alludes  to  it,  in  these  words :  '  like  a 
devilish  engine,  back  recoils  upon  himself.' " 

"  '  Hum  ! ' "  responded  my  friend  reflectively  ;  "  '  there 
is  no  system  without  its  difficulties.  Non-resistance 
is  a  system.  So  is  resistance.' "  At  this  juncture  an 
intermission  was  announced.  Several  preachers,  who 
appeared  to  be  strangers,  crowded  about  the  Bishop, 
whose  manner  towards  them  was  unexceptionable. 

"No  sooner  was  the  recess  over,  than  these  ministers 
were  announced  to  the  body  by  the  Bishop.  Thereat 
the  whole  -posse  comitatus  (this  phrase  being  inelegant, 
I  will  substitute  that  of  olla  podrida)  arose,  thus  dis- 
playing their  Wesleyan  good  manners.  It  appeared 
that  the  presented  persons  were  representative  of  other 
friendly  denominations,  who  had  come  in  to  spy  out 
the  land,  and  bring  away  clusters  of —  sour  grapes, 
perhaps. 


THE    METHODIST    ANNUAL    CONFERENCE.         145 

"  To-day  is  Sunday  —  the  great  feast-day  of  the 
Conference.  In  the  morning,  before  service,  I  attend 
a  Love-Feast.  The  church  is  crowded.  One  of  the 
elders  presides.  About  the  altar  and  in  the  pulpit 
are  other  elders,  like  the  six  Turkish  viziers  of  Con- 
stantinople, who  are  called  viziers  of  the  bench  because 
they  have  seats  in  the  Divan.  Lord  Kames,  in  his 
'  Elements  of  Criticism,'  teaches  that  it  is  fitting  for 
persons  in  power  to  have  higher  seats  than  the  popu- 
lace. I  am  glad  that  any  lord  has  authorized  it. 

"  After  prayer  and  praise,  the  bread  and  water  are 
distributed,  when  begin  the  speeches.  Of  these,  I 
remember  not  many.  They  are  too  same  to  remem- 
ber. But  some  stand  out  like  a  windmill  against  the 
sky  of  a  picture.  One  woman  rises,  and  with  a  high, 
shrill  voice,  frees  her  mind,  meanwhile  emphasizing 
her  rhetoric  with  an  expressive  flourish  of  her  muff. 
She  talks  like  one  in  a  kind  of  joyful  trouble,  if  such 
an  anomalous  idea  is  admissible.  Women,  when  ex- 
cited before  the  audience  largely  composed  of  min- 
isters, appear  somewhat  troubled,  but  yet  sweetly 
hopeful. 

"  There  are  some  speeches  from  the  preachers  which 
are  strongly  touching  and  even  beautiful.  Some  are 
fresh  from  the  graves  of  beloved  ones.  God  help 
them  !  One  relates  a  dream.  There  was  poetry  in 
that  dream,  and  truth  as  well.  I  would  record  it  here 
in  my  note-book,  only  it  strikes  me  that  I  should  be 
violating  confidence.  '  Declare  ye  it  not  at  Gath.' 
(Micah  i  :  9.)  Young  men,  scarcely  yet  out  of  their 
foolery,  (by  this  I  only  allude  to  the  old  Italian  prov- 
erb, '  Men  learn  to  shave  on  the  chin  of  a  fool,')  rise 
10 


146  AMONG    THE    METHODISTS. 

and  testify.  I  notice  that  these  are  very  loud  and 
strong  in  their  voices,  purposes,  and  responses.  There 
are  some  young  ministers,  however,  who  are  truly 
modest  and  devout  in  their  appearance.  Each  is,  as 
Saul  was,  '  a  choice  young  man,  and  goodly.' 

"Matters  hasten  ;  the  bell  strikes  for  church  service. 
The  great  bishop  will  preach  to-day.  Everybody  is 
expectant. 

"  I  have  heard  the  bishop  preach.  He  is  a  man 
of  power.  He  made  me  think,  at  first,  of  stupendous 
summits,  of  beetling  crags,  and  a  Western  forest  in 
December.  But  as  he  went  on,  I  discovered  beneath 
all  '  a  fire  infolding  itself  as  in  the  vision  of  Ezekiel, 
not  lurid  nor  yet  rose-colored,  but  amber-gold,  as  if 
struck  oft'  the  sun  in  the  heavens.  It  warmed  and 
spread  until  there  was  a  glow  in  the  farthest  corner 
of  the  house,  and  in  the  coldest  heart  of  them  all. 

"  The  man  lives,  and  moves,  and  has  his  being  in 
this  viewless  fire.  It  is  lighted  by  God.  Hence  his 
power.  I  shall  remember  no  more  his  voice,  his  look, 
nor  other  of  the  elements.  He  is  a  result  —  a  tetra- 
chord  or  four-sounded  soul  whose  extremes  are  immu- 
table. By  the  touch  of  other  minds,  the  two  middle 
chords  sometimes  vary ;  but  the  beginning  and  ending 
of  his  life-purposes  are  complete  in  himself.  The 
man  cannot  be  overruled  by  state,  place,  nor  human 
mind  ;  he  therefore  rules  all  these. 

"  Not  all  preachers  are  '  ministers  of  God's  word.' 
But  this  man  is  a  V.  D.  M.  The  Bible  is  his  library ; 
the  sacred  ecurie,  his  alma  mater ;  his  degree  that 
described  in  i  Tim.  3  :  13. 


THE    METHODIST    ANNUAL    CONFERENCE.         147 

"  The  servant  is  not  above  his  lord,  and  he  is  not  wiser 
than  that  which  is  written.  Hence,  the  greatness  of 
the  man  which  is  great  e.nough  to  change  his  mental 
vectures  into  chariots  of  royal  purple  and  gold ;  and 

his  mien  gradually  puts  on  robes  of  majestical  flowing." 

*****# 

"As  the  sermon  from  his  lips  proceeded,  some  '  for 
joy  tenderly  wept ; '  others  responded  in  deep,  sympa- 
thetic tones,  yet  others  became  noiseful,  possessed  with 
that  spirit  which  shines  equally  at  a  dead-wake  or  a 
figary,  though  clothed  in  an  appearance  better  painted 
by  Milton :  — 

'Earth  trembled  from  her  entrails,  as  again 
In  pangs,  and  Nature  gave  a  second  groan.' 

Evidently  the  bishop  did  not  savor  this  as  of  true 
knowledge.  Gently  was  wrought  into  his  speech  a 
rebuke  to  all  excessive  demonstrations, 

"The  storm  immediately  subsided,  and  emotion  dis- 
appeared. The  sun  came  out,  and  every  man  looked 
on  his  neighbor  as  though  he  could  smile.  The  sym- 
pathetic silence  of  true  souls  is  more  grateful  to  a 
great  man  than  the  hoarsest  and  loudest  echoes  of 
meaningless  minds. 

"  There  is  a  character  sifting  at  these  Conferences. 
The  name  of  each  member  (and  by  member  I  mean 
travelling  preacher,  so  called,  as  no  other  belongs  to 
this  body,)  is  read  aloud.  He  retires  from  the  audi- 
ence room,  and  the  question  is  asked  which  involves 
the  sift.  If  they  are  really  faithful  to  this  line  of 
mark,  they  do  well. .  A  good  institution  would  this 


148  AMONG   THE    METHODISTS. 

prove  in  other  denominations.  But  how  entirely 
silent  are  the  newspaperial  organs  of  the  sect  which 
has  a  new  exile  from  the  Paradise  of  Innocence !  As 
though  silence  were  a  proposition  whose  demonstra- 
tion insures  the  success  of  oblivion !  Thank  God ! 
there  is  a  secular  press  which  is  emancipated  from  the 
serfdom  of  priestcraft ! 

"  How  pleasant  must  be  the  sensations  of  these 
ministers  who  wait  to  hear  their  appointments  read 
off  for  the  year  !  A.  B.,  who  has  been  to  college,  and 
knows  an  enthymeme  from  the  syllogism,  and  the  year 
when  rotary  pumps  were  invented,  is  portioned  off  to 
Valley-Hack,  which  has  a  church  of  thirteen  paying 
members,  no  one  of  whom  owns  but  three  books,  viz  : 
the  Bible,  the  Life  of  John  Wesley,  and  Memoirs  of 
Hester  Ann  Rogers.  A  young  man  of  talents  is  A. 
B.,  and  under  an  imprescriptible  career  would  make  a 
fair  show  of  a  man ;  as  it  is,  the  service  of  man- 
pleasing  and  stone-rolling  will  cramp  his  motions, 
deaden  his  energies,  and  file  his  teeth  so  that  he  will 
not  know  himself  when  forty  years  old  —  unless  he 
discovers  an  aptitude  for  Methodistical  sycophancy 
and  sound,  in  which  event  he  may  ultimately  be  sent 
to  a  city  charge,  which,  though  greater  in  numbers  and 
wealth  than  Valley-Hack,  has  scarcely  more  resources 
of  an  intellectual  nature. 

"  But  even  this  is  not  to  last  more  than  two  or  three 
years  consecutively,  at  the  longest.  By-and-by  he  is 
passed  over  to  the  superannuated  list,  and  gets  a  paltry 
stipend.  What  a  career  for  a  free  man  in  a  free 


THE    METHODIST    ANNUAL    CONFERENCE.          149 

land !     What   an    illustration  of  the   Latin   proverb, 
''Anguillam  cauda  tenes!" 

(The  two  foregoing  notes  were  pencilled  in  the 
note-book  by  his  friend,  while  Israel  was  engaged  in 
finding  a  hymn  for  an  old  lady  who  sat  next  him.) 


AMONG    THE    EPISCOPALIANS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE    EPISCOPAL    ORDINATION- 

WHEN  reading  the  history  of  Mr.  Wesley's  work  in 
England,  Israel  noticed  these  words  written  by  him 
two  years  before  his  death  :  "  I  declare  once  more,  that 
I  live  and  die  a  member  of  the  Church  of  England, 
and  that  none  who  regard  my  judgment  or  advice 
will  ever  separate  from  it." 

He  had,  therefore,  considerable  curiosity  to  make 
some  investigations  in  this  faith  and  practice,  before 
arriving  at  the  decision  to  which  he  was  constantly 
aiming.  A  favorable  opportunity  for  observation  was 
soon  presented^  A  friend  of  that  religious  organ- 
ization invited  him  to  be  present  on  the  occasion  of 
the  ordination  of  several  presbyters  or  priests,  by  the 
bishop  of  that  diocese. 

His  Episcopal  friend  called  his  attention,  with  no 
little  enthusiasm,  to  the  superior  architecture  of  their 
church. 

"  In  all  these  things,  we  transmit,  as  nearly  as  pos- 
sible, the  most  ancient  and  reverential  symbols  of  the 
pure  church  of  Christ  and  his  apostles,"  he  said,  while 
he  went  on  to  explain  to  Israel  the  beauties  of  the 
Gothic  order,  which  he  believed  to  have  originated 
from  an  avenue  of  over-arching  trees.  "  Doubtless,"  he 


152  AMONG    THE    EPISCOPALIANS. 

continued,  "there  was  such  an  avenue  in  the  garden 
of  Gethsemane." 

"I  was  taught,"  said  Israel,  "that  the  pointed 
arch  arose  from  the  intersection  of  semi-circular  arches 
in  that  Norman  style  which  went  before  the  Gothic." 

"You  see  the  circular  window  above  the  entrance," 
his  friend  continued,  without  appearing  to  notice  his 
objection  ;  "  that  is  typical  of  the  silence  which  should 
reign  in  the  house  of  God." 

"  That  is  the  rose  window,  which  is  often  called 
a  '  Catharine  wheel ; '  and  the  name  being  that  of  a 
woman,  I  can  hardly  reconcile  it  with  your  explana- 
tion," said  Israel.  But  to  this,  likewise,  his  friend 
vouchsafed  no  notice.  They  were  next  at  the  inner 
church  doors. 

"These  three  doors  may  signify  the  Word,  the 
Sacraments,  and  the  Ministry  in  the  three  orders  of 
Bishops,  Priests,  and  Deacons,"  he  continued,  in  a  low 
voice. 

The  "dim,  religious  light"  which  came  in  through 
the  lofty,  stained  windows,  was  calculated  to  remind 
a  student  like  Israel  of  many  things  of  which  he  had 
read  among  the  annals  of  the  past.  He  questioned 
within  himself  if  this  partial  obscurity  was  also 
typical. 

His  friend  had  also  much  to  say  to  him  about  the 
chancel  and  the  large  window  directly  in  front  of  the 
audience  seats,  on  which  were  represented  many 
symbolical  devices.  As  the  day  was  not  Sunday,  he 
took  occasion  to  explain  many  of  the  peculiarities  of 
"the  church." 

"But  why  do  you  call  your  church,  '  the  church,' 


THE    EPISCOPAL    ORDINATION.  153 

as  though  that  was  the  only  one  ? "  inquired  Israel  at 
length. 

"  We  hold  no  other  ministry  to  be  valid  than  that 
which  we  trace  as  a  direct  succession  from  the  apos- 
tles, and  no  place  of  divine  worship  to  be  truly  conse- 
crated except  by  such  persons,"  answered  his  friend, 
very  gravely. 

"  Then  you  believe  that  other  denominations  are  no 
more  than  outsidp  heathen,"  said  Israel. 

"They  are  certainly  not  'the  church  of  the  Living 
God,  the  pillar  and  ground  of  the  truth  ; '  for  they  do 
not  receive  the  truth  nor  conform  to  its  dictates  as 
taught  in  the  word  of  God.  Their  ministry  proceeds 
from  themselves,  and  not  from  men  consecrated  by 
men  who  could  trace  their  ecclesiastical  parentage 
through  Archbishop  Sheldon,  and  on  through  the 
English,  Italian,  and  Irish  Episcopate,  to  the  apostles 
themselves,  as  can  our  ministers." 

"  You  talk  like  a  Roman  Catholic,"  said  Israel. 

"  The  Roman  Catholics  have  the  truth  with  them, 
the  same  as  we  have  ;  only  they  have  become  cor- 
rupted. If  I  were  on  my  death-bed,  and  could  not 
get  access  to  the  ministers  of  my  own  church,  I  should 
not  scruple  to  avail  myself  of  the  privilege  of  their 
priestly  offices,"  he  replied. 

"  But  would  you  not  also  permit  the  attendance  of  a 
Baptist,  a  Congregational,  or  a  Methodist  clergyman?  " 
pursued  Israel. 

His  friend  shook  his  head.  "  No,"  said  he,  "  not  as 
ministers  of  God,  for  that  would  be  lending  counte- 
nance to  error.  They  are  only  laymen,  made  what 
they  claim  to  be  by  men  like  themselves,  and  in  some 


154  AMONG   THE    EPISCOPALIANS. 

instances,  not  so  good.  Our  ministers  never  permit 
these  unauthorized  men  to  come  into  their  pulpits ; 
neither  are  they  ever  found  in  theirs,  more  than  they 
would  go  to  any  reading  or  lecture  room." 

"  I  think,"  said  Israel,  "  that  there  is  a  divine  pro- 
vision for  any  man,  whereby  he  may  die  alone  and 
die  well ;  of  this  I  would  avail  myself  rather  than  to 
put  my  confidence  in  any  arm  of  flesh." 

"People  are  ignorant,"  his  friend  went  on,  "else 
they  would  all  be  of  the  Church.  They  do  not  know 
the  errors  into  which  they  have  been  blindly  led. 
They  do  not  know  that  the  bishops,  priests,  and 
deacons,  in  an  unbroken  succession  from  the  apostles, 
are  with  us  and  not  with  them." 

"No;  they  do  not,"  answered  Israel.  As  the  con- 
gregation began  to  gather  rapidly,  further  conversation 
was  suspended. 

When  there  appeared  upon  that  part  of  the  house 
appropriated  to  the  reading  desk  or  ambo,  a  priest  in 
a  long  white  robe,  who  knelt  at  the  pulpit,  as  also 
other  of  these  men  with  the  Bishop,  Israel  gazed 
attentively  and  studied  carefully. 

Throughout  the  ceremony,  as  much  time  as  he  could 
spare  from  the  prayer-book,  he  studied  the  faces  of 
those  men.  Recently,  he  had  somewhere  read  that 
no  man  can  wholly  conceal  himself  from  the  eye  of 
one  who  studies  character  in  the  face,  and  he  resolved 
to  profit  by  the  dogma. 

Something  like  this  he  might  have  seen  :  a  company 
of  men,  who  strongly  associated  with  "  the  church " 
that  important  ecclesiastical  word  "  Living"  For 
the  sake  of  this  word,  which  was  full  of  spiritual  and 


THE    EPISCOPAL    ORDINATION.  155 

temporal  consolation,  "  the  church "  had  won  them 
(with  but  one  or  two  exceptions)  from  other  Christian 
folds,  which  did  not  offer  so  many  inducements  apper- 
taining thereto. 

With  this  word  was  also  associated  that  other,  of 
scarcely  inferior  value,  —  Power. 

Magical  words  —  " Living"  "Power " /  One  other 
they  required  to  complete  the  perfect  three-fold  Epis- 
copal charm  —  viz.,  "Infallibility"  Without  this, 
the  others  were  broken,  limp,  liable  to  vanish  away. 

This  authorized  the  look  they  wore,  and  which 
seemed  to  say,  "  I  am  right.  All  others,  save  the 
Roman  Catholics,  are  wrong.  We  are  the  only  pure 
Church  of  Christ  and  his  Apostles.  Stand  aside,  who 
follow  and  obey  us  not." 

With  a  kind  of  attempt  at  churchly  gust  did  these  men 
engage  in  their  united  service,  sometimes  in  the  acme 
of  their  chants,  casting  a  sidelong  glance  down  upon 
the  congregation  to  witness  the  effect  of  such  concen- 
trated devotion. 

All  of  them  chanted  on  full  stomachs.  They  kept 
the  faith  in  the  succession  of  a  harmless  and  useful 
apostolical  wine  for  the  sake  of  that  member  of  the 
body,  not  less  faithfully  than  other  traditions.  It  was 
just  as  certain  in  theirprivate  credo  that  several  flagons, 
accompanied  St.  Paul  to  plant  Episcopacy  in  Briton, 
as  that  he  really  went  there  on  that  errand. 

To  many  readings,  chantings,  and  prayers,  accom- 
panied by  gettings  up  and  sittings  down,  did  Israel 
there  listen,  but  in  none  was  he  so  much  interested  as 
the  ordination  service.  There  had  been  changing  of 
gowns  in  the  adjacent  closet,  till  all  were  now  fixed 


156  AMONG   THE    EPISCOPALIANS. 

for  the  business  in  hand.  Of  what  took  place,  he 
most  pondered  on  the  following  :  — 

The  Bishop  was  addressed  by  the  priest  who  pre- 
sented the  deacons  for  the  office  of  priest,  as  "  Rev- 
erend Father  in  God." 

Among  the  questions  propounded  to  the  candidates 
by  the  Bishop  were  these,  with  their  affirmative  an- 
swers : 

"  Will  you  be  diligent  in  prayers  and  in  reading 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  in  such  studies  as  help  to 
the  knowledge  of  the  same,  laying  aside  the  study 
of  the  world  and  the  Jlesh  ?  . 

"  Will  you  be  diligent  to  frame  and  fashion  your 
own  selves,  and  your  families,  according  to  the  doc- 
trine of  Christ,  and  to  make  both  yourselves  and  them, 
as  much  as  in  you  lieth,  ivholesome  examples  and  pat- 
terns to  the  flock  of  Christ? 

"  Will  you  reverently  obey  your  chief  ministers, 
unto  whom  is  committed  the  charge  and  government 
over  you,  following  with  a  glad  mind  and  will  their 
godly  admonitions,  and  submitting  yourselves  to  their 
godly  judgments  ?  " 

When  all  the  questions  pertaining  to  the  ceremony 
were  concluded,  several  of  the  presbyters,  as  also  the 
Bishop,  laid  their  hands  simultaneously  on  the  heads 
of  each  candidate,  while  in  each  case  the  Bishop  re- 
peated :  — 

"  Receive  the  Holy  Ghost  for  the  office  and  work 
of  a  priest  in  the  Church  of  God,  now  committed  unto 
thee  by  the  imposition  of  our  hands.  Whose  sins  thou 
dost  forgive,  they  are  forgiven;  and  TV  hose  sins  thou 
dost  retain,  they  are  retained.  And  be  thou  a  faith- 


THE    EPISCOPAL    ORDINATION.  157 

ful   dispenser  of  the  Word  of  God,  and  of  his   holy 
sacraments :     In  the   name  of  the  Father,   and  of  the 
.Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  Amen." 

Then  giving  to  each  one  a  Bible,  he  added,  "  Take 
thou  authority  to  preach  the  Word  of  God,  and  to 
minister  the  holy  sacraments  in  the  congregation 
where  thou  shalt  be  lawfully  appointed  thereto." 

At  the  sound  of  these  words,  so  strange  and  signifi- 
cant to  him,  Israel  looked  around  upon  the  people  of 
that  congregation,  to  see  if  they  were  moved. 

Innocent  youth !  he  had  yet  to  learn  that  most 
people  who  help  to  sustain  these  "authorities"  "to 
remit  and  to  retain  sins,"  are  like  the  ostrich,  which 
swallows  bullets  scorching  hot  from  the  mould,  rags, 
leather,  iron,  and  sto'ne,  with  unqualified  voracity. 

Determined  not  to  be  hasty  or  superficial  in  his 
observations  of  this  people,  Israel  followed  this  service, 
by  attention  to  the  notice  of  an  evening  meeting  to  be 
held  soon  thereafter. 

At  the  appointed  time  he  hastened  to  the  chapel. 
Passing  into  the  entrance  room,  he  hesitated  about 
going  within  until  he  had  made  some  observations, 
unobserved. 

What  was  his  surprise  to  find  that  the  audience 
room  contained  the  minister  with  only  about  a  score 
of  women !  Although  the  meeting  was  a  general 
one,  not  a  ^'rnale  member"  was  present.  He  deter- 
mined to  retain  his  position  of  observer  instead  of 
participator. 

His  surprise  was  greater  when  he  afterwards  heard 
the  minister  proceed  with  his  exhortation,  as  it  read 


j;8  AMONG    THE    EPISCOPALIANS. 

in  a  book,  in  a  formal  and  reverent  manner  addressing 
those  sisters  more  than  once  as  "  my  brethren." 

"  This,"  thought  Israel,  "  is  formality  wrought  into 
folly."  He  mentioned  it  to  his  Episcopal  friend,  and 
received  this  reply  :  — 

"  In  so  doing,  the  minister  showed  his  faithfulness 
to  the  proscribed  order  of  the  church.  A  minister 
who  seeks  to  please  men  by  the  dictates  of  worldly 
wisdom,  will  adapt  himself  to  the  prejudices  and 
foibles  of  his  hearers,  till  his  own  identity  and  that  of 
his  sect  are  sacrificed.  Such  are  worthy  only  of  being 
compared  to  the  celebrated  French  dramatic  writer 
Gasper  Abeille,  who  had  a  face  of  such  extraordinary 
flexibility,  that  when  he  was  reading  a  drama  or  tale, 
he  could  vary  his  features  to  suit  the  various  charac- 
ters as  effectually  as  though  he  had  worn  a  mask  to 
represent  each  personage.  Who  has  not  seen  such 
men  among  the  preachers  of  the  denominations  ?  We 
had  better  deserve  the  imputation  of  formality,  and  be 
true  to  the  truth,  than  be  informal  actors  conscious 
of  falsehood  and  deceit." 


EPISCOPAL    DOCTRINE.  159 


CHAPTER  II. 

EPISCOPAL    DOCTRINE. 

ISRAEL  next  procured  The  Book  of  Common 
Prayer  used  by  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in 
America,  and  read  it  attentively.  From  all  that  he 
there  found  he  inferred  that  the  doctrines  of  this 
church  materially  harmonized  with  those  of  other 
churches  called  Calvinistic,  so  far  as  he  instituted  a 
comparison  upon  a  general  reading.  A  more  careful 
examination  raised  a  query  respecting  the  idea  of  this 
faith  upon  regeneration,  or  qualifications  for  baptism. 
Great  stress  seemed  to  be  laid  upon  being  born  of 
water,  as  though  baptism  possessed  hidden  power  to 
carry  with  it,  when  administered  by  the  church,  the 
virtue  of  the  new  birth.  If  the  subject  were  thor- 
oughly instructed  in  the  dogmas  of  the  Prayer  Book, 
and  received  the  rites  of  the  church  in  good  faith,  all 
was  well  without  any  Change  of  heart  —  any  radical 
regenerating  process  other  than  the  baptism. 

This  idea  he  found  from  conversation  with  those 
who  were  qualified  and  authorized  to  expound  the 
letter  of  the.  instruction.  It  was  true  that  the  letter  of 
the  doctrine  cited  as  a  requisition  of  persons  to  be 
baptized,  "  Repentance  whereby  they  forsake  sin  :  and 
faith,  whereby  they  steadfastly  believe  the  promises  of 


l6o  AMONG   THE    EPISCOPALIANS. 

God  made  to  them  in  that  sacrament ; "  but  it  also 
stated  it  in  such  a  manner  as  to  make  easy  the  inter- 
pretation that  the  "inward  spiritual  grace"  always 
accompanied  the  "outward  visible  sign,"  provided  all 
the  ceremonial  conditions  were  fulfilled.  Also  that 
infants,  regularly  baptized,  are  at  the  time  regenerated 
by  the  spirit. 

Upon  further  investigation,  he  found  that  the  opin- 
ions of  standard  church  authorities  divide  upon  these 
points.  "In  baptism,"  says  Archbishop  Cranmer, 
"those  that  come  feignedly,  and  those  that  come 
unfeignedly,  both  be  washed  with  the  sacramental 
water,  but  both  be  not  washed  with  the  Holy  Ghost, 
and  clothed  with  Christ." 

Another  authority  of  this  faith  (Rev.  C.  P.  Miles) 
states  that  "  The  blessing  of  regeneration,  as  shown 
in  the  Articles  and  Prayer  Book,  is  a  contingent 
blessing ;  it  is  neither  promised  nor  received  absolutely 
in  baptism,  but  promised  and  affirmed  to  be  received 
when  the  administration  of  the  rite  is  accompanied  by 
prayer  and  faith."  Of  the  baptism  of  infants,  he  also 
says :  "  Repentance  and  faith  are  demanded  as  pre- 
requisites even  in  the  case  of  infant  baptism.  And 
before  the  ordinance  is  administered,  prayer  is  en- 
joined to  be  offered  in  behalf  of  the  child.  The  church 
here  pleads  the  promise  of  Christ ;  and  assuming  that 
the  repentance,  and  faith,  and  prayer  of  the  parties 
present  are  genuine,  she  praises  God,  after  the  child  is 
baptized,  for  having  bestowed,  in  fulfilment  of  his 
promise,  the  particular  blessing  that  was  asked. 
The  Church  of  England,  if  she  errs  at  all  in  this 
matter,  errs  simply  by  adopting  an  expression  of 


EPISCOPAL   ORDINATION.  l6l 

charity  more  extensive  than  is  warranted  by  the 
circumstances  of  her  position." 

Again,  Israel  found  this  statement  made  by  the  same 
prominent  Episcopal  divine  :  "  The  doctrine  of  bap- 
tismal regeneration  is  held  by  a  large  body  of  English 
churchmen  [it  might  also  have  added  "and  American 
churchmen "]  ;  but  it  is  also  denied  by  vast  numbers 
both  of  the  clergy  and  laity." 

This  difference  of  opinion  among  churchmen  Israel 
found  to  prevail  upon  nearly  all  the  points  of  belief  to 
which  they  subscribe  ex  animo.  The  subsequent  read- 
ing of  the  principal  works  of  the  Xractarians  or 
Puseyites  confirmed  him  in  this  opinion.  In  these 
he  found  stated  with  unqualified  boldness  the  doctrine 
of  baptismal  regeneration,  transubstantiation,  and  other 
dogmas  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church.  Indeed,  there 
seemed  no  difference  between  this  branch  of  Episco- 
pacy and  the  followers  of  the  pope,  save  in  name 
and  certain  associations.  He  therefore  abandoned  the 
attempt  to  determine  absolutely  the  real  creed  of  this 
church  as  they  understood  it. 


ii 


l62  AMONG   THE    EPISCOPALIANS. 


CHAPTER  III. 

LUMINOUS    POINTS    OF   EPISCOPACY. 

FOR  further  understanding  of  this  communion  of 
Christians,  our  inquirer  resorted  to  their  history,  both 
in  the  past  and  present,  with  testimonies  of  church- 
men upon  mooted  questions.  In  this  record  from 
differing  stand-points  there  was  much  which  reminded 
him  of  the  "  Cato  "  and  the  "  Anti-Cato,"  —  the  one 
written  by  the  Ciceronian  friend,  the  other  by  the 
Caesarian  enemy. 

As,  in  the  Indian  mythology,  Mirtlok  lies  between 
the  two  divisions  of  heaven  and  hell,  he  hoped  to 
attain  that  position  for  observation,  equally  distant 
from  either  extreme.  The  following  are 

EXTRACTS  FROM  HIS  NOTE  BOOK. 

"  The  Church  of  England  has  no  real  history  apart 
from  the  Catholic  Church,  until  the  sixteenth  century, 
although  the  Episcopal  Church  claims  for  itself  inde- 
pendence of  the  Church  of  Rome  for  more  than  five 
centuries.  After  the  Saxon  invasion  in  the  year  596, 
the  Bishop  of  Rome,  Pope  Gregory  the  Great,  sent 
Augustine  with  forty  of  his  order  to  England  as  mis- 
sionaries. Augustine  founded  an  abbey  at  Canterbury, 


LUMINOUS    POINTS    OF   EPISCOPACY.  163 

and  was  the  first  archbishop  in  England.  His  doc- 
trine soon  spread  throughout  Britain. 

"The  sixth  archbishop  from  Augustine,  Theodore, 
divided  the  land  into  parishes,  in  the  seventh  century. 

"  A  writer  of  the  English  Church  observes  '  We 
have  now  only  to  regard  the  Church  of  England,  in 
common  with  the  churches  of  the  continent  in  the 
mediaeval  ages,  as  whilst  emitting,  here  and  there,  an 
occasional  ray  of  light,  yet  deeply  involved  in  the  cor- 
ruptions and  superstitions  of  the  times.' 

"  For  a  long  time  the  Northumbrian  church  refused 
to  submit  to  the  domination  of  Rome ;  but  in  664, 
King  Oswy  compelled  his  clergy  to  submit  to  Rome, 
which  now  held  undisputed  sway  over  the  whole  of 
England. 

"Marsden  says  that  Elfric,  one  of  the  latest  writers 
of  the  Anglo-Saxon  church,  A.  D.  1014,  informs  us 
that  '  there  are  seven  ecclesiastical  orders  in  the 
church  —  ostiary,  reader,  exorcist,  acolyte,  subdeacon, 
deacon,  and  priest.' 

"  It  was  not  till  the  council  of  Winchester,  in  1076, 
that  celibacy  was  made  imperative  on  the  English 
clergy.  (Eadie.) 

"  Henry  the  Eighth  rebelled  from  the  papal  author- 
ity, though  it  had  been  in  part  successfully  resisted 
by  William  the  Conqueror.  In  1534,  the  Church  of 
England  professed  to  be  free.  But  this  freedom  was 
only  nominal,  or  a  transfer  of  tyrannical  power  from 
the  pope  to  the  king.  It  was  still  the  Church  of  Rome 
in  all  but  the  name.  In  1539,  parliament  passed  '  An 
act  for  abolishing  diversity  of  opinions.'  The  death 
penalty  was  affixed  to  the  denial  of  the  doctrine  of 


164  AMONG    THE    EPISCOPALIANS. 

transubstantiation ;    also   to    denial  of   all    the   other 
peculiarities  of  the  Romish  faith. 

"  Under  the  reign  of  Edward,  and  still  more  in  that 
of  Elizabeth,  the  reformation  of  the  church  rapidly 
progressed.  From  this  period  it  assumed  a  thoroughly 
Protestant  character.  The  names  of  Cranmer,  Ridley, 
Latimer,  and  Hooper  are  associated  with  the  reforms 
from  the  abuses  of  popery. 

Wealth. 

"  The  English  Church,  as  such,  has  ever  been  char- 
acterized for  a  love  of  political  and  worldly  emolu- 
ment. In  America,  the  Episcopal  church  seems  to  be, 
for  the  most  part,  the  church  of  the  wealthy.  Their 
beginning  in  this  country  justifies  the  basis  of  this 
supposition ;  their  subsequent  history,  the  complete 
conclusion. 

"The  first  Episcopalians  of  the  New  World,  who 
were  men  of  power  in  England,  settled  in  Virginia, 
not  for  religious  freedom,  like  the  Puritans  of  New 
England,  but  for  'purposes  of  worldly  emolument.' 
As  early  as  1621,  the  Virginia  company  set  apart  in 
each  of  the  boroughs  an  hundred  acres  of  hind  for  a 
glebe,  and  two  hundred  pounds  sterling  for  a  stand- 
ing revenue  for  a  living,  out  of  the  profits  of  each 
parish. 

"  It  has  steadily  increased  in  wealth,  and  at  present 
has  centralizations  of  church  properties  of  immense 
value.  It  is  exactly  suited  to  accommodate  that  class 
of  people  whose  wealth  demands  preservation  from 
vulgar  contact,  and  yet  whose  conscience  would  adhere 
to  the  faith  which  was  once  delivered  to  the  saints. 


LUMINOUS    POINTS    OF    EPISCOPACY.  165 

This  class  of  persons  take   'the  church'   as  the  most 
respectable  road  to  heaven. 

Love  of  Power, 

"This  church,  like  every  other  composed  of  men, 
has  displayed  in  times  of  prosperity  a  love  of  power. 

"  King  James,  who  believed  that  Episcopacy  was 
an  aid  and  comfort  to  monarchy,  used  to  say,  'No 
bishop,  no  king.'  This  sovereign  was  not  alone  in 
this  style  of  argument.  He  understood  the  pith  of  the 
matter. 

"Archbishop  Laud  was  an  unqualified  tyrant.  He 
hated  the  Calvinists,  and  persuaded  Charles  to  make 
this  proclamation  at  the  head  of  the  Articles  of  Faith  : 
'  We  will  that  all  curious  search  into  these  things  be 
laid  aside,  and  these  disputes  be  shut  up  in  God's 
promises,  as  they  be  generally  set  forth  to  us  in  Holy 
Scripture,  and  the  general  meaning  of  the  articles 
according  to  them.' 

"In  1662,  the  Act  of  Uniformity  was  passed  —  an 
act  worthy  of  a  body  of  men  with  pretensions  to  infal- 
libility, which  demanded  a  total  withdrawal  of  all 
investigation.  By  this  act,  all  the  ministers  in  Eng- 
land must  declare  '  their  unfeigned  assent  and  consent 
to  the  entire  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  or  be  ejected 
from  their  livings.'  In  that  year,  more  than  two 
thousand  ministers  who  refused  to  subscribe,  were 
made  to  feel  this  rod. 

"  Two  years  later,  the  Conventicle  Act  declared  that 
but  five  persons  above  the  age  of  sixteen,  besides  the 
family,  were  to  meet  for  worship. 

"Next   followed    the   Corporation   Act  —  'that   no 


l66  AMONG    THE    EPISCOPALIANS. 

person  shall  be  chosen  into  any  office  of  magistracy, 
or  other  employment  relating  to  corporations,  who 
shall  not,  within  one  year  next  before  such  elections, 
have  taken  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper 
according  to  the  rites  of  the  Church  of  England.' 

"The  Five  Mile  Act,  in  1665,  '  imposed  an  oath  on 
all  non-conformists,  binding  them  to  attempt  no  altera- 
tion in  either  church  or  state  ;  and  provided  that  all 
ministers  who  did  not  take  it,  should  neither  live  in, 
nor  come  within,  five  miles  of  any  borough,  city,  etc.' 

"  By  the  Test  Act,  every  person  who  held  any  office 
or  trust  must  receive  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's 
Supper  in  the  Church  of  England,  within  three  months 
after  his  admittance  to  the  office,  or  be  subjected  to 
severe  penalties.' 

"  The  Episcopalians  of  the  New  World,  true  to  their 
education,  having  the  power  in  Virginia,  early  passed 
laws  to  drive  all  sectaries  from  their  colony.  Six  years 
after,  a  Congregational  church  of  one  hundred  and 
one  persons  was  dispersed,  and  their  pastors  banished. 

"  Sir  Edmund  Andros,  a  provincial  governor  of  the 
colony  of  New  England,  and  a  zealous  supporter  of 
this  faith,  in  order  to  build  up  the  Episcopal  church, 
pronounced  no  marriages  valid  unless  celebrated  by 
the  Church  of  England.  The  Old  South  Church  in 
Boston  was  demanded  and  used  for  the  Episcopal 
service,  until,  in  1688,  a  church  was  built,  called 
King's  Chapel. 

"  The  same  spirit  of  proscription  animates  the 
clerical  members  of  this  body  at  present;  and  to 
perpetuate  their  power,  they  refuse  practical  ac- 
knowledgment of  the  validity  of  the  ministry  of  all 


LUMINOUS    POINTS    OF    EPISCOPACY.  167 

the  denominations,  and  call  their  own  branch  of  the 
true  vine  the  Church.  This  is  likewise  evident  in 
the  requisition  imposed  for  matriculation  to  one  of 
their  principal  colleges  in  America.  In  the  college 
statutes  is  found  the  following: 

" '  Sec.  I.  Matriculation  shall  consist  in  signing, 
in  the  presence  of  the  president,  faculty,  and  others, 
the  following  promise :  "I  promise  to  observe  the 
statutes,  lawful  usages,  and  customs  of  this  college, 
and  to  maintain  and  defend  her  rights,  privileges,  and 
immunities,  at  all  times  and  in  all  places,  according 
to  my  station  and  duties  in  the  same."' 

"  The  last  clause  of  the  promise  is  a  supplementary 
offshoot  of  the  laws  of  this  Church  in  olden  time,  and 
should  be  called  the  Act  of  Gag.  Whatever  indig- 
nities a  student  might  suffer  from  this  institution,  he 
must  maintain  her  '  rights '  and  '  privileges,'  and  be 
silent  respecting  all  her  errors.  Free  speech  accord- 
ing to  the  honest  conviction,  unless  favorable  to  the 
college,  is  here  totally  interdicted. 

Apostolical  Succession. 

"Nothing  assists  this  people  so  much  in  retaining 
their  power  as  constant  proclamation  of  the  apostol- 
ical succession  ;  yet  I  find  that  one  of  its  archdeacons 
says :  '  I  deny,  my  lord,  that  succession  of  bishops  is 
an  infallible  point  to  know  the  church  by ;  for  there 
may  be  a  succession  of  bishops  known  in  a  place,  and 
yet  there  is  no  church,  as  at  Antioch,  and  Jerusalem, 
and  in  other  places  where  the  apostles  abode,  as  well 
as  at  Rome.  But  if  you  put  to  the  succession  of  bish- 
ops, succession  of  doctrine  withal,  as  St.  Augustine 


l68  AMONG   THE    EPISCOPALIANS. 

cloth,  I  will  grant  it  to  be  a  good  proof  for  the  Catholic 
Church  ;  but  a  local  succession  is  nothing  available.' 

"  Bishop  Pilkington  also  taught :  '  So  stands  the 
succession  of  the  Church  :  not  in  mitres,  palaces,  lands, 
and  lordships,  but  in  teaching  true  doctrine,  and  root- 
ing out  the  contrary.' 

"  On  the  other  hand,  the  Puseyites  say  :  '  The  fact 
of  the  apostolical  succession  —  that  is,  that  our  present 
bishops  are  the  heirs  and  representatives  of  the  apos- 
tles, by  the  successive  transmission  of  the  prerogative 
of  being  so  —  is  too  notorious  to  require  proof. 
Every  link  in  the  chain  is  known  from  St.  Peter  to 
our  present  metropolitan.  Can  we  conceive  that  this 
succession  has  been  preserved  all  over  the  world, 
amidst  revolutions,  through  many  centuries,  for 
nothing?' 

"  Another  Episcopal  divine  says  :  '  The  Church  of 
England  was  founded,  probably,  in  the  Apostolic  Age, 
and,  it  is  said,  by  the  labors  of  St.  Paul.' 

"Of  what  real  value  is  such  an  assertion  as  this? 
Probabilities  and  '  they  say '  are  no  authority  to  the 
unprejudiced  inquirer.  If  we  take  such  proof  as  valid, 
we  shall  next  give  credence  to  the  virtue  which,  '  it 
is  said,'  accompanies  contact  with  the  bones  of  a  saint, 
and  also  the  toe  of  '  His  Holiness  ! ' 

"  Where  is  the  historical  proof  that  the  Church  of 
England  was  founded  by  one  or  more  of  the  apostles? 
And  if  such  proof  was  clear  as  the  noon-day  sun, 
what  would  it  signify  for  this  church  more  than  any 
other,  —  since  the  mission  given  to  the  apostles  by 
Christ,  was  to  go  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the 
gospel  to  every  creature. 


LUMINOUS    POINTS    OF    EPISCOPACY.  169 

"  When  Simon  Peter  had  toiled  all  night  a-fishing, 
and  had  caught  nothing,  he  cast  his  net  on  the  right 
side  of  the  ship,  according  to  the  direction  of  Jesus, 
and  now  '  they  were  not  able  to  draw  it  for  the  mul- 
titude of  fishes.'  In  this  multitude  there  must  have 
been  more  than  one  kind.  This  event,  which  was 
typical  of  the  salvation  of  men  by  the  ministry  of  the 
Gospel  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour,  proves  conclusively 
that  it  was  never  meant  by  the  founders  of  the  Chris- 
tion  Church  to  inculcate  the  idea  that  there  was  to  be 
included  in  the  Church  of  God  only  one  kind  of  be- 
lievers. Had  it  been  so,  it  would  have  been  stated 
what  kind  of  fishes  these  were,  that  there  might  have 
been  motives  to  perpetuate  the  succession. 

"  Likewise  does  the  vision  unfolded  to  Peter,  when 
he  saw  heaven  opened,  and  a  certain  vessel  descending 
unto  him,  wherein  were  all  manner  of  four-footed 
beasts  of  the  earth,  and  wild  beasts,  and  creeping 
things,  and  fowls  of  the  air,  prove  that  no  one  class 
of  men  is  more  favorable  in  the  eyes  of  God,  pro- 
vided he  hath  cleansed  them,  than  another.  '  Then 
Peter  opened  his  mouth  and  said,  Of  a  truth  I  per- 
ceive that  God  is  no  respecter  of  persons  ;  but  in  every 
nation  he  that  feareth  Him  and  worketh  righteous- 
ness, is  accepted  with  Him.'  '  And  they  of  the  cir- 
cumcision which  believed  were  astonished,  because 
that  on  the  Gentiles  also  was  poured  out  the  gift  of 
the  Holy  Ghost.' 

"  The  Church  of  England,  or  the  Episcopal  Church, 
by  arrogating  to  themselves  the  possession  of  '  the 
Word,  the  sacraments,  and  the  threefold  ministry,' 
illustrates  the  claims  of  monarchists  in  all  ages  of  the 


170  AMONG    THE    EPISCOPALIANS. 

world,  —  'We  are  the  men,  and  wisdom  will  die  with 
us,  unless  kept  in  the  authorized  channels  of  succes- 
sion in  both  church  and  state.' 

The   Three-fold  Ministry. 

"  Their  claim,  also,  to  the  ministry  as  founded  by 
the  apostles  in  a  three-fold  office  of  bishops,  priests  or 
presbyters  and  deacons,  is  not  valid. 

"  The  apostles  styled  themselves  by  various  names. 
In  i  Tim.  5:17,  they  are  called  elders  and  laborers. 
Again  they  are  styled  teachers  and  shepherds.  The 
terms  bishops  and  elders  throughout  their  writings  are 
used  without  distinctive  difference.  This  is  also  true 
of  the  usage  of  the  ecclesiastical  writers  who  followed 
the  apostles.  From  the  writings  of  Coleman,  I  find 
Chrysostom  as  saying  that  '  the  elders  or  presbyters 
were  formerly  called  bishops  and  deacons  of  Christ, 
and  that  the  bishops  were  called  elders.'  Also,  Theo- 
doret  styles  both  the  elders  and  bishops  watchmen. 
In  another  passage,  he  says  that  those  who  were  called 
bishops,  evidently  held  the  rank  of  presbyters  and 
elders.  Iraeneus,  Bishop  of  Lyons,  calls  all  the  bishops 
who  preceded  Victor,  presbyters.  Jerome  adds  a  sim- 
ilar testimony. 

"  From  this  and  other  equally  copious  and  valuable 
testimony,  it  is  clear  to  me  that  the  Episcopal  church 
has  no  warrant  for  this  their  assumption  of  the  pure 
order  of  a  three-fold  ministry. 

The  Liturgy. 

"  Another  claim  of  the  superiority  of  the  church,  or 
its  exemption  from  liabilities  to  departure  from  the 


LUMINOUS    POINTS    OF    EPISCOPACY.  If  I 

faith,  is  its  Liturgy.  Having  found  an  argument*  in 
its  favor,  which,  though  not  by  any  means  conclusive, 
is  ingenious,  I  copy  it  herein. 

"  '  What,  it  may  be  asked,  is  the  authority  and  what 
is  the  utility  of  a  Liturgy?  I  hardly  need  answer 
that  forms  of  prayer  are  no  new  thing.  If  you  ask 
me  where  they  originated,  I  answer,  in  heaven.  The 
very  first  suggestion  of  a  precomposed  form  of  divine 
service  came  from  God  himself.  Liturgies  are,  there- 
fore, no  human  invention. 

"  '  When  the  Tabernacle  had  been  erected,  and  the 
people  gathered  into  it,  God  gave  to  Moses  a  form 
of  words  wherewith  he  should  bless  the  people  when 
they  departed,  saying :  "  The  Lord  bless  thee,  and 
keep  thee,"  etc.  When  an  Israelite  brought  to  the 
priest  "  the  first  fruits,"  he  was  required  to  repeat  a 
certain  form  of  words.  Just  before  the  death  of  Moses, 
God  commanded  him  to  write  a  song  commemorative 
of  God's  mercies,  which  the  Israelites  and  their  de- 
scendants were  required  to  use.  In  the  time  of  Christ, 
the  Jews  had  a  Liturgy  in  their  synagogues.  In  this 
service  he  himself  joined.  He  rebuked  the  Jews  for 
many  things,  but  never  for  using  a  Liturgy.  He  cen- 
sured them  for  formality,  but  never  for  employing 
forms  of  prayer.  He  reproved  the  Pharisees  for  their 
pride,  and  formality,  and  long  "  prayers,  which  they 
made,  standing  at  the  corners  of  the  streets,  to  be  seen 
of  men."  These  prayers  were  made  to  attract  the 
public  attention,  and  so  to  win  the  praise  of  passers-by, 
and,  therefore,  may  have  been  extemporaneous. 

*  From  "Why  I  am  a  Churchman,"  by  Rev.  G.  M.  Ran- 
dall, D.  D. 


172  AMONG    THE    EPISCOPALIANS. 

"  *  The  Jews  had  never  been  accustomed  to  other  than 
a  Liturgical  form  of  worship.  When  John  the  Bap- 
tist appeared,  who  was  the  appointed  forerunner  of 
Christ,  and  whose  ministry  was  not,  therefore,  of  the 
Jewish  economy,  while  the  Christian  Church  was  not 
yet  established,  he  very  naturally  prepared  a  service 
suited  to  his  peculiar  mission.  He  gave  to  his  disci- 
ples a  form  of  prayer. 

"  '  When  Christ  entered  upon  His  ministry,  He  con- 
tinued to  attend  upon  the  temple  and  synagogue 
service,  and  sometimes  took  part  in  that  service. 
When  His  disciples  came  to  him,  with  the  request 
that  He  would  furnish  them  with  a  form  of  prayer, 
as  John  had  done  for  his  disciples,  He  did  not  reply 
to  this  request  that  John  did  that  which  was  indeed 
allowed  in  the  Jewish  service,  but  was  not  to  be  per- 
mitted in  the  more  spiritual  worship  of  the  Christian 
Church.  So  far  from  this,  He  immediately  framed  a 
form  of  prayer,  gave  it  to  his  disciples,  and  told  them 
to  use  it.  It  is  not  a  little  remarkable,  that  this  form 
is  taken  mainly  from  the  Jewish  Liturgy.  It  is  some- 
times urged  by  those  who  are  not  accustomed  to  a 
Liturgical  service,  that  prayers  in  a  particular  form  of 
words  cannot  come  from  the  heart.  When  oui  Saviour 
was  in  the  garden,  on  the  night  of  His  betrayal,  He 
prayed  in  the  midst  of  the  agonies  of  {hat  awful  hour. 
Think  you  the  prayer  He  offered  to  His  Father  did  not 
come  from  His  heart?  Yet  He  used  a  form!  He 
prayed  three  times,  using  a  form  of  words.  Again 
when  hanging  on  the  cross  He  prayed.  Did  ever  mortal 
man  doubt  that  the  prayer  upon  the  cross  came  from 
the  heart  of  that  crucified  Saviour?  And  yet  that 


LUMINOUS    POINTS    OF    EPISCOPACY.  173 

prayer  was  a  form  in  these  words:  "My  God,  my 
God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me ; "  a  quotation  from 
the  twenty-second  Psalm.  The  last  sentence  that  fell 
from  His  lips,  ere  He  gave  up  the  ghost,  was  taken 
from  the  thirty-first  Psalm  :  "Father,  into  thy  hands  I 
commend  my  spirit."  Thus  the  Saviour  of  the  world 
died  with  a  form  of  prayer  upon  His  lips. 

" '  The  apostles,  like  their  divine  Master,  were 
accustomed  to  the  Liturgical  worship  of  the  Jews ; 
they,  with  Him,  attended  the  temple  and  the  synagogue 
service.  Such  was  the  strength  of  their  attachment 
to  a  Liturgy,  and  so  firm  the  habit  of  using  a  form, 
that  on  the  occasion  of  the  liberation  of  St.  Peter  from 
prison,  when  their  hearts  were  overflowing  with  joy, 
and  when,  if  ever,  they  would  spontaneously  express 
their  gratitude,  in  an  extemporaneous  thanksgiving, 
they  employed  a  form,  "  they  lifted  up  their  voice  to 
God  with  one  accord,  and  said,"  etc.  This  form  has 
been  recorded  by  St.  Luke.  It  is  chiefly  from  a  Psalm 
of  David.  We  are  not  then  surprised  to  find  the 
churches  which  they  planted  employing  forms  of 
prayer  in  their  worship.'  " 

Much  more  of  this  continued  able  argument  Israel 
would  have  transcribed,  had  he  not  have  recalled 
these  words,  found  in  2  Corinthians,  3  :  6 :  "  Who 
also  hath  made  us  able  ministers  of  the  new  testa- 
ment ;  not  of  the  letter,  but  of  the  spirit :  for  the  letter 
killeth,  but  the  spirit  giveth  life" 

Likewise  this  in  Romans  2:  19,  20:  "And  art 
confident  that  thou  thyself  art  a  guide  of  the  blind, 
a  light  of  them  which  are  in  darkness,  an  instructor 
of  the  foolish,  a  teacher  of  babes,  which  hast  the 


174  AMONG    THE    EPISCOPALIANS. 

form  of  knowledge,  and  of  the  truth  in  the 
law"  etc. 

Also  2  Tim.  3:5:  "  Having  a  form  of  godliness, 
but  denying  the  power  thereof;  from  such  turn  away." 

These  words  proved  to  him  that  the  form  of  godli- 
ness and  the  letter  of  the  law  were  not  accounted  by 
the  apostles  as  of  any  worth,  compared  to  the  true 
spirit  of  the  gospel  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour. 

Signs  of  Power. 

"  In  regard  to  the  authority  and  utility  of  their  cler- 
ical vestments,  I  have  but  to  remember  the  words  of 
Christ,  in  Matt.  23  :  5.  '  But  all  their  works  they 
do  to  be  seen  of  men  :  they  make  broad  their  phylac- 
teries, and  enlarge  the  borders  of  their  garments.' 

"  I  find  an  Episcopal  divine  *  has  these  words  upon 
this  point.  '  As  to  the  authority  I  have  only  to  say 
that,  God  has  once,  in  the  Mosaic  dispensation,  ex- 
pressed his  pleasure  in  this  regard,  and  He  has  never 
annulled  that  expression  of  His  will.' 

"  Why  did  he  not  cite  the  particular  instance  to 
which  he  referred  as  the  expression  of  divine  pleasure 
in  this  regard? 

"  Moses  took  Aaron  and  his  sons,  according  to  the 
command  of  God,  unto  the  door  of  the  tabernacle  of 
the  congregation,  and  after  washing  them  with  water, 
he  put  upon  Aaron  '  the  coat,  and  girded  him  with  the 
girdle,  and  clothed  him  with  the  robe,  and  put  the 
ephod  upon  him  ;  and  he  girded  him  with  the  curious 
girdle  of  the  ephod,  and  bound  it  unto  him  therewith. 

*  Dr.  Randall. 


LUMINOUS    POINTS    OF    EPISCOPACY.  175 

And  he  put  the  breastplate  upon  him  :  also  he  put  in 
the  breastplate,  the  Urim  and  Thummin.  And  he  put 
the  mitre  upon  his  head  ;  also  upon  the  mitre,  did  he 
put  the  golden  plate,  the  holy  crown. 

"  'And  he  poured  of  the  anointing  oil  upon  Aaron's 
head.' 

"  '  And  Moses  brought  Aaron's  sons  [here  was  the 
succession]  and  put  coats  upon  them,  and  girded  them 
with  girdles,  and  put  bonnets  upon  them.' 

"If  the  'authority'  is  here  derived,  why  is  not  the 
usage  of  the  Episcopal  church  to  clothe  their  priests 
according  to  all  the  pattern,  as  well  as  in  one  or  two 
particulars? 

"  Why  do  not  these  priests  don  their  canonicals  in 
the  door,  before  all  the  congregation?  By  what 
authority  can  they  omit  the  pouring  oil  on  the  head, 
and  likewise  dispense  with  the  girdle  and  bonnet? 

Repetition  of  the    Creed. 

"  The  same  divine  also  says  :  '  At  every  service  we 
are  required  to  repeat  the  articles  of  our  belief,  in  the 
form  of  a  Creed.  The  Church  has  a  Creed,  because 
she  is  the  church.  There  can  be  no  such  thing  as  a 
Christian  Church  without  a  Christian  Creed.  There 
are  some  persons,  I  am  aware,  who  affect  to  have  no 
creed.  But  Christ  has  effectually  settled  the  practi- 
cability of  such  a  theological  anomaly.  Nobody  can 
go  to  heaven  without  a  creed.  Creed  is  belief.  Christ 
has  said,  "  He  that  BELIEVETH  NOT  shall  be  damned" ' 

"According  to  the  Word  of  God,  the  way  is  so 
plain,  that  the  wayfaring  men,  though  fools,  shall  not 
err  therein,  the  type  of  which  way  was  the  very  sim- 


I7'">  AMONG    THE    EPISCOPALIANS. 

pie  looking  of  the  diseased  Israelite  at  the  brazen  ser- 
pent uplifted  in  the  wilderness.  But  yet  men  like  Dr. 
i'uscy  read  the  creed  of  the  Church  with  a  widely 
diilerent  sense  from  others  who"  likewise  read  the  same 
words  in  high  places. 

"  The  authority  quoted  evidently  wishes  it  to  be 
understood  that  the  creed  of  '  the  church '  is  the  one 
of  which  it  is  true  — k  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be 
damned.'  If  we  accept  the  statement,  we  may  learn 
the  fate  of  those  who  do  not  believe  in  '  one  catholic 
and  apostolic  church,'  '  one  baptism  for  the  remission 
of  sins,'  and  '  the  resurrection  of  the  body.' 

"  The  thief  on  the  cross  had  no  idea  of  this  elab- 
orate credo,  but  simply  said,  '  Lord,  remember  me 
when  thou  comest  into  thy  kingdom,'  for  which  he 
was  promised  paradise. 

"  He  believed.  All  believe  who  find  salvation ; 
yet  all  of  these  do  not  believe  in  the  church  or  its 
creed,  or  yet  in  its  long  prayers  and  mummeries,  such 
as  '  Reverend  Father  in  God.'  '  And  call  no  man 
your  father  upon  the  earth,  for  one  is  your  Father 
which  is  in  heaven.'  (Matt.  23  :  9.) 

"I  cannot  believe  that  I  have  found  the  city  whose 
name  is  '  The  Lord  is  ffere' 

ISRAEL  KNIGHT." 


ANOTHER   OPINION.  177 


CHAPTER   IV. 

ANOTHER   OPINION. 

BEFORE  closing  his  present  judgment  upon  this 
sect,  Israel  took  the  precaution  to  send  the  foregoing 
Notes  to  a  friend  whom,  with  his  guardian,  he  was 
accustomed  to  consult.  He  received  the  following  :  — 

" YOUNG  SIR:  — 

"  You  have  drawn  your  conclusions  of  the  church 
in  question,  with  more  haste  and  heat  than  deliber- 
ation and  wisdom.  This,  allow  me  to  say,  is  char- 
acteristic of  observers  of  your  age. 

"  There  are  spots  on  the  sun,  but  who  would  think 
of  condemning  that  planet  therefor  as  worthless  !  He 
who  should  make  the  attempt  would  prove  himself 
another  "  dog,  and  bay  the  moon."  It  is  not  probable 
that  the  sun  or  the  moon  would  take  upon  themselves 
to  stand  still  in  awe  of  such  attacks. 

"  This  people  of  God  are  too  old,  too  venerable 
with  precious  associations  of  labor,  suffering,  and 
renown,  too  honored  with  names  of  the  great  and 
good,  to  cast  about  upon  the  fling  of  ordinary  criticism. 
Like  Jerusalem,  she  is  the  mother  of  us  all ;  and  whq 
would  think  of  looking  too  sharply  upon  the  blem- 
ishes of  that  face  to  which  we  had  turned  for  counsel, 

12 


178  AMONG   THE    EPISCOPALIANS. 

encouragement  and  strength,  from  our  earliest  recol- 
lection ! 

"  Her  authors  have  contributed  the  most  precious 
legacies  of  thought  and  research  of  those  of  any  other 
church,  and  of  all  other  churches  together  in  Christen- 
dom. Her  martyrs  are  most  memorable  upon  the 
page  of  history.  Her  struggles  for  emancipation  from 
oppression  were  .  the  pioneer  throes  of  the  birth  of 
Religious  Freedom,  the  blessings  of  which  all  other 
religious  bodies  by  the  means  have  been  enabled  to 
share.  It  is  true  that  this  church  has  had  her  '  wan- 
dering stars,'  who  have  shed  their  baleful  influence 
over  those  who  were  so  unfortunate  as  to  come  within 
the  reach  of  their  oppressive  sphere  ;  but  in  a  system  of 
such  dimensions  as  this,  this  is  by  no  means  surprising. 

"  In  particular  respecting  your  notes,  I  do  not  like 
what  you  say  about  the  ministers  who  appeared  at  the 
ordination  service  having  been  converts  from  other 
folds.  Where  will  you  find  a  set  of  clergymen  on  any 
one  denominational  platform  who  number  not  those 
who  have  been  adopted  there?  Your  own  ideas  of 
truth  to  profound  conviction,  and  of  charity  for  others 
in  their  movements,  however  seemingly  inharmonious 
with  yours,  should. repel  the  slightest  acerbity  "f  judg- 
ment of  such  matters. 

"  Neither  do  I  like  your  observations  respecting  the 
love  of  this  people  for  power.  We  should  the  rather 
admire  them  that,  when  possessed  of  such  exhaustless 
resources  through  the  centuries,  they  have  abused  their 
power  so  little.  What  other  Christian  people,  endued 
with  their  gifts,  would  have  deported  themselves  more 
wisely? 


ANOTHER    OPINION.  179 

"Your  remarks  concerning  their  peculiarities  in  wear- 
ing clerical  vestments,  etc.,  are  altogether  unworthy. 
Why  not  head  them  with  observations  upon  Revela- 
tions i  :  13.  '  And  in  the  midst  of  the  seven  candle- 
sticks, one  like  unto  the  Son  of  Man,  clothed  with  a 
garment  down  to  the  foot,  and  girt  about  the  paps 
with  a  golden  girdle.' 

"  Let  every  people  appear  in  their  sacred  courts  as 
it  seemeth  them  good,  and  be  not  presumptuous  in 
speaking  evil  of  dignities. 

"Although  I  have  no  partiality  for  this  communion,  I 
desire  to  be  as  just  and  generous  to  them  as  to  any 
other.  To  this  end,  I  would  recommend  you  to  study 
them  more  faithfully  and  impartially,  as  you  would  a 
celebrated  work  of  art,  which,  at  the  first,  you  may 
be  inclined  to  undervalue.  The  longer  you  look,  the 
more  will  you  see  to  admire. 

Truly  yours, 

J.  ABELARD  RIDLEY." 

Somewhat  troubled  by  this  letter,  Israel  forwarded 
it  with  his  Notes  to  his  guardian,  with  an  expressed 
wish  for  a  judgment. 

He  received  only  this  in  return  :  — 

"Qui  capit^  illefacit"  liberally  rendered,  "Whom 
the  cap  fits,  let  him  wear  it." 

Yours  in  haste,  but  without  heat, 

EPHRAIM  STEARNS." 


AMONG  THE  QUAKERS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

FRIENDS'  MEETING. 

ISRAEL  began  to  be  less  hopeful  of  finding  around 
him  the  city  with  the  Lord's  name  and  presence,  and 
he  went  out  one  Sunday  morning  with  no  purpose 
whither  to  direct  his  steps.  He  was  unhappy,  almost 
miserable.  There  was  not  a  church  which  he  could 
call  his  home,  not  a  people  who  seemed  real  and  true 
friends. 

Where  was  the  fault?  In  the  churches  or  in  him- 
self? 

Presently  he  wandered  away  into  a  street  apart  from 
the  great  thoroughfares,  with  a  design  of  going  out 
till  he  should  reach  the  open  country,  where  he  could 
worship  in  God's  own  temple,  not  made  with  hands. 

A  man  walked  before,  scarcely  noticed  by  him  till 
he  was  joined  by  another  who  came  out  from  an  inter- 
secting street.  There  was  something  in  their  manner 
of  greeting  each  other  which  attracted  his  attention. 

The  unaffected  friendliness  of  the  words  "Friend 
John,  how  does  thee  do  ?  "  and  the  reply,  "  I  am  able 
to  go  to  the  meeting,  friend  Isaac,  and  it  is  good  to 
walk  the  old  way  once  more,"  seemed  to  Israel  a  new 
n.ote  in  the  great  concert  of  the  world's  society. 

He  looked  more  closely.  The  hat,  the  color  of  the 
181 


1 82  AMONG    THE    QUAKERS. 

cloth  they  wore,  determined  the  first  impression.  They 
were  Friends  or  Quakers,  evidently  on  their  way  to 
meeting.  He  resolved  to  follow  them. 

At  length  they  stopped  before  a  plain-looking  build- 
ing, which  he  should  hardly  have  distinguished  from  a 
private  dwelling.  It  stood  within  a  small,  neat  enclo- 
sure, and  had  two  doors  of  entrance,  one  on  each  side. 

Israel  now  stepped  forward  and  inquired. 

"  This  is  Friends'  meeting-house,"  answered  "  Friend 
John;"  "  thee  is  welcome  to  come  in."  Somewhat 
in  the  look  and  tone  which  accompanied  these  words 
made  Israel  feet  welcome  to  go  in  there.  This  friend 
showed  Israel  to  a  seat  within. 

Not  a  little  was  he  at  first  interested  to  observe  that 
"  Friend  John,"  as  well  as  all  other  of  the  men  who 
came  in,  did  not  remove  their  hats.  Upon  one  side 
of  the  room  sat  the  men,  while  the  women  together 
occupied  the  other,  both  facing  one  way,  which  was 
the  wall  behind  the  preachers'  seats.  Soon  arrivals 
ceased,  and  all  was  still.  Israel  took  the  opportunity 
to  cast  several  glances  around  him. 

The  walls  were  severely  plain,  as  were  also  the 
seats.  No  sign  nor  sound  of  elegance  intruded  in 
that  sanctuary. 

The  women  were  generally  dressed  with  simplicity 
of  color  and  shape,  but  the  material  was  often  costly. 
The  plainest  Friends  wore  the  real  Quaker  bonnet, 
neckerchief  and  shawl ;  but  these  were  only  the  few. 
Their  faces  were  uncommonly  smooth  and  placid  in 
expression,  as  though  the  experience  of  daily  life 
brought  few  distraining  cares ;  or  if  they  came,  the 
alleviating  simplicity  of  friendly  hopes  came  with 


FRIENDS'  MEETING.  183 

them.  Some  of  the  young  women  were  very 
lovely. 

The  men  had  a  comfortable,  self-controlling  look 
generally,  though  there  were  exceptional  cases,  where 
the  expression  admitted  of  a  slight  discount  in  favor 
of  worldly  wisdom.  "  Best  wisdom  "  was  prevalent, 
but  did  not  universally  reign. 

After  some  time  had  elapsed,  Israel  began  to  be 
restless,  and  thought  it  was  singular  that  no  move- 
ment was  made  indicating  a  commencement  of  the 
services.  He  looked  at  the  principal  men  who  filled 
the  more  conspicuous  seats,  but  they  moved  not,  nor 
broke  the  solemn  sound  of  silence.  He  now  remem- 
bered reading  that  these  people  worshipped  in  the 
spirit,  often  coming  together  without  public  speaking, 
and  composed  himself  "  to  do  as  the  Romans  did." 

He  began  to  look  inwardly  and  lisjten  to  the  silent 
teachings  of  the  spirit.  But  no  sooner  was  his  gaze 
introverted  than  some  indefinable  impulse  directed  his 
thoughts  before  him  toward  a  bonnet,  not  so  plain 
as  others,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  house.  A 
slight  turn  of  the  head  had  revealed  the  fair  and  sweet 
face  of  a  young  Quakeress.  Just  as  he  looked,  he 
thought  the  dark  eyes  under  the  bonnet  looked  also. 
The  Quakeress  turned  quickly,  and  now  the  bonnet 
faced  the  side  wall.  Israel  tried  hard  to  think  of 
subjects  appropriate  for  that  solemn  occasion,  but  into 
his  mind  rushed  unbidden  the  image  of  Cyprian  Cut- 
ting. The  sound  of  Methodist  confusion  filled  his 
heart,  -and  he  was  there  in  that  Quaker  meeting  as 
though  he  were  not. 

The  gentle  swaying  of  the  tall  trees  in  a  private 
yard  behind  this  meeting-house  was  now  heard 


184  AMONG    THE    QUAKERS. 

through  the  open  windows.     It  recalled  Israel  to  him- 
self and  the  scene  of  the  hour. 

"  O,  that  I  could  reflect  worthily  !  "  he  said  to  him- 
self. Then  he  thought  of  the  words  which  he  had 
read  that  morning  in  Hosea  14:  5  :  "I  will  be  as  the 
dew  unto  Israel ;  he  shall  grow  as  the  lily,  and  cast 
forth  his  roots  as  Lebanon."  "  Here,"  reflected  the 
youth,  "  is  the  Lord's  presence,  not  as  the  thunder  nor 
the  trumpet.  He  hath  not  gone  up  with  a  shout,  but 
he  is  as  the  silent,  gentle,  fructifying  dew.  Spiritual 
life  grows  in  this  soil  like  the  lily,  unheard,  almost 
unseen,  nevertheless  sure,  and  with  accretions  of 
rarest  beauty.  As  the  roots  of  the  great  trees  of  the 
forest  of  Lebanon  spread  out  underneath  the  surface 
into  a  web  of  strength  and  fortification  against  the 
passing  blasts,  so  does  the  underlying  principle  of 
this  people  gather  consistency  and  .permanence  from 
their  most  profitable  silences,  wherewith  they  are  able 
to  stand  unmoved  in  the  day  of  adversity." 

Israel  now  thought  of  the  god  H.eimdal,  who  was 
said  to  hear  the  wool  grow  on  the  lambs  and  the 
grass  in  the  fields,  and  he  wished  that  his  spiritual 
hearing  had  been  sufficiently  acute  that  he  might 
perceive  the  growth  of  the  goodness  which  flowed 
from  the  united  pause  in  the  Friends'  Meeting. 

He  ventured  another  look  at  the  Quaker  bonnet 
worn  by  the  fair  young  girl,  though  this  time  it  was 
not  withdrawn  so  suddenly  as  before.  'Then  he  looked 
away  at  some  of  the  demure  men  who  occupied 
the  preachers'  seats,  as  though  half-expecting  tme  of 
them  to  rise.  He  now  saw,  with  a  sigh  of  relief, 
something  new.  The  gravest  looking  of  these  men  took 
off  his  broad-brimmed  hat,  and  laid  it  down  by  his  side. 


FRIENDS'  MEETING.  185 

Israel  thought  he  was  going  to  speak.  The  spirit 
had  moved  him  at  last.  But  no  !  he  shook  hands  with 
his  next  Friend.  This  seemed  a  signal  for  a  general 
stir.  Friend  after  Friend  shook  hands,  and  it  was 
plain  that  meeting  was  over.  "Is  this  all?"  thought 
Israel,  somewhat  disappointed.  "  Not  by  might,  nor 
by  power,  but  by  my  spirit,  saith  the  Lord,"  he 
answered  himself.  All  now  gathered  together  very 
quietly  for  a  friendly  greeting  and  conversation.  There 
seemed  to  be  some  Friends  present  who  were  strangers 
from  England.  These  were  welcomed  by  one  and 
another  with  kind  though  measured  words,  which 
made  Israel  think  that  the  lot  of  the  stranger  was 
indeed  blessed  among  this  people. 

He  had  one  more  look  at  the  .bonnet  which  had 
more  or  less  troubled  the  deep  waters  of  his  soul, 
through  the  meeting,  and  was  rewarded  by  a  full 
view  of  the  face,  radiant  with  calm  delight,  the  remem- 
brance of  which  lingered  in  his  heart  as  something 
precious,  and  reluctantly  went  his  way. 

Like  the  traveller  who  visits  the  statue  of  Memnon, 
he  had  heard  "  a  strange,  sweet  music  from  the  cold 
and  voiceless  marble."  When  the  Mahometans  con- 
clude their  worship  in  the  mosque,  they  smooth  down 
their  faces  with  their  hands,  take  up  their  slippers,  and 
go  their  way.  Israel  did  not  smooth  down  his  face, 
for  it  was  already  smoothed  by  the  viewless,  noiseless 
tidal  current  of  the  Quaker  worship  ;  nor  did  he  shake 
the  dust  from  his  feet.  He  felt,  however,  that  his 
worldly  shoes  had  been  almost  out  of  place  on  that 
holy  ground. 


1 86  AMONG    THE    QUAKERS. 


CHAPTE  R  II. 

FURTHER    OBSERVATIONS. 

SOME  time  later  Israel  was  in  a  distant  city,  and 
remembering  that  this  was  the  place  of  residence  of 
one  of  his  former  classmates  in  an  academy,  who 
belonged  to  a  Quaker  family,  he  took  occasion  to  call 
on  this  friend. 

In  his  reception,  by  this  family  there  breathed  the 
spirit  of  unaffected  friendliness.  His  friend  was 
absent ;  and  though  no  one  of  these  people  had  ever 
before  seen  him,  nothing  was  wanting  but  the  pres- 
ence of  the  absent  one  to  complete  the  spirit  of  their 
hospitality. 

It  was  noticed  by  Israel  that  when  all  were  gath- 
ered in  their  seats  around  the  family  board,  instead 
of  the  blessing  which  he  had  often  heard,  each, 
with  slightly  bowed  head,  remained  silent  until  the 
head  of  the  family  made  the  first  movement  to  indicate 
that  the  silence  was  to  give  place  to  the  courtesies  of 
the  hour.  Israel  had  heard  that  in  past  time  the  men 
Quakers  ate  with  head  uncovered  ;  he  now  concluded 
that  this  custom  was  obsolete. 

It  being  Fourth  day,  Israel  was  asked  by  his  friends 
to  go  with  them  to  "  meeting."  He  was  told  that 
that  they  met  for  worship  on  this  day  of  the  week  as 


FURTHER    OBSERVATIONS.  187 

also  on  the  first.  He  gladly  went.  The  audience,  for 
the  most  part,  was  composed  of  women.  The  Quaker 
men  are  generally  busy  in  the  marts  of  business  on 
Fourth  day.  Of  these  women,  a  few  were  plain 
Friends,  all  elderly,  who  were  real  Quakers  in  ap- 
pearance ;  the  others  illustrated  Milton's  words —  "but 
Eve  was  Eve."  Clothed  in  expensive  fabrics  of  the 
mode  somewhat  modified,  they  would  have  scarcely 
been  odd  in  the  most  fashionable  congregation.  Soon 
came  on  the  silence  of  best  wisdom,  apparently  in 
"  calm  and  sinless  peace."  Israel  looked  at  the  grave 
elderly  men  who  sat  on  the  elevated  seats,  and  won- 
dered if  the  spirit  would  move  any  to  speak.  By-and- 
by  his  patience  was  rewarded  by  the  rising  of  a  wo- 
man, a  very  "  plain  Friend,"  who  had  a  message  of 
which  her  mind  must  be  disburdened.  Her  position 
being  in  a  remote  part  of  the  room  from  Israel,  he 
was  not  able  to  hear  her  words  sufficiently  to  obtain 
the  full  benefit  of  them.  It  seemed,  however,  to  be 
an  exhortation  to  the  women  to  be  less  conformed  to 
the  vain  show  of  the  world,  —  a  concern,  which  he 
thought  not  unwarranted  in  that  audience.  Not  long 
after  this,  one  of  the  men  stood  up,  and  in  a  pretty 
loud  voice,  addressed  them. 

He  alluded  to  an  esteemed  friend  who  had  lived  in 
a  past  age  of  Quakerism,  and  quoted  his  example  and 
words  to  incite  them  to  lead  a  good  and  simple  life. 
His  speech  occupied  about  five  minutes,  when  he  sat 
down.  This  concluded  the  ministry  of  Quaker  service 
for  that  day.  Afterwards  it  transpired  that  they  were 
Hicksite  Quakers,  while  another  branch  of  Friends  is 
called  Orthodox  Quakers. 


l88  AMONG    THE    Q.UAKERS. 

The  following  is  the  substance  of  a  conversation 
between  Israel  and  these  Friends :  — 

/.     "May  I  ask  why  you  are  called  Hicksites?" 

F.  "From  Elias  Hicks,  who,  about  the  year  1827, 
taught  our  people  different  views  of  doctrine  from  those 
before  believed  and  taught  by  Friends." 

/.     "  Wherein  did  this  difference  consist?  " 

F.  "  Elias  Hicks  denied  the  divinity  and  atone- 
ment of  Jesus  Christ,  and  affirmed  that  the  Bible  had 
no  divine  authority.  George  Fox,  who  founded  the 
Society  of  Friends,  having  been  educated  in  the  Church 
of  England,  kept  the  principal  articles  of  their  doc- 
trine, though  he  rejected  some  which  they  think  im- 
portant or  essential.  He  was  what  is  called  orthodox 
upon  the  principal  points  of  belief." 

/.     "  What  did  he  reject?  " 

F.  "  The  sacraments  of  baptism  and  the  Lord's 
Supper." 

/.     "On  what  grounds?" 

F.  "  George  Fox  held  that  the  Christian  baptism 
taught  in  the  New  Testament  is  a  spiritual  one,  which 
alone  makes  the  true  disciple  a  partaker  of  the  mys- 
tical body  of  Christ,  and  that  the  baptism  of  John 
belonged  to.an  inferior  and  decreasing  dispensation. 
In  like  manner  communion  with  the  body  and  blood 
of  Christ  is  only  obtained  by  a  union  of  the  heart  by 
faith,  while  all  visible  signs  are  promotive  of  dissen- 
sion among  Christians. 

"  Elias  Hicks  maintained  that  we  need  not  go  to 
the  Scriptures  for  authority  in  this  or  other  rule  of 
life  more  than  to  any  other  book.  The  light  that  is 
within  us,  implanted  by  God,  is  sufficient  to  guide  us 


FURTHER    OBSERVATIONS.  189 

into  all  needed  wisdom,  if  we  will  hold  our  spirits  in 
subjection  to  its  teachings.  He  held  that  sacraments 
are  unnecessary,  but  for  other  reasons.  George  Fox 
was  a  good  man  —  a  seeker  after  truth,  as  the 
Friends  were  first  named  —  but  he  had  not  progressed 
into  the  best  wisdom." 

/.  "  Allow  me  to  inquire  why  your  sect  was  ever 
called  Quakers,  and  not  always  Friends?" 

F.  "  It  is  sometimes  recorded  that  the  name  was 
given  because  Fox  once  told  one*  of  his  judges  in  the 
time  of  his  persecution  for  his  opinions,  to  tremble  at 
the  word  of  the  Lord  ;  others  say  that  it  was  because 
of  their  trembling  manner  of  speaking.  We  call  our- 
selves Friends." 

I.     "Was  Fox  a  man  of  learning?" 

F.  "He  was  born  at  Drayton,  England,  1624,  and 
apprenticed  to  a  grazier.  His  occupation  of  shepherd 
was  good  for  solitary  thought.  'While  he  watched  his 
flocks  he  came  upon  many  wise  conclusions.  One 
was  that  his  days  were  evil  and  it  was  his  duty  to  go 
out  among  the  wicked  world  and  seek  to  make  them 
better.  In  1647,  he  began  to  be  a  preacher  of  righteous- 
ness wherever  he  went.  In  a  steeple-house  at  Not- 
tingham, when  the  priest  took  for  his  text,  '  We  have 
a  more  sure  word  of  prophecy,  whereunto  ye  do  well 
that  ye  take  heed,  as  unto  a  light  that  shineth  in  a  dark 
place,  until  the  day  dawn,  and  the  day-star  arise  in 
your  hearts,'  and  went  on  to  teach  the  people  that  this 
light  was  the  Bible,  Fox  spoke  out  by  the  strong 
moving  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  'O  no  ;  it  is  not  the  Scrip- 
ture, but  it  is  the  Holy  Spirit  by  which  the  holy  men 
of  God  gave  forth  the  Scriptures,  whereby  opinions, 


190  AMONG    THE    QUAKERS. 

religions,  and  judgments  are  to  be  tried.  That  it  was, 
which  led  unto  all  truth.'  For  thus  saying  he  was  put 
into  prison.  At  other  times  in  his  life  he  suffered  the 
pain  of  imprisonment.  He  died  in  London  in  1690. 
William  Penn  said  of  him,  '  He  was  a  man  that  God 
endowed  with  a  clear  and  wonderful  depth  ;  a  discerner 
of  others'  spirits,  and  very  much  a  master  of  his  own ; 
of  an  innocent  life,  meek,  contented,  modest,  steady, 
tender.' " 

/.  "It  would  gratify  me  to  know  some  other  pecu- 
liarities of  the  doctrine  and  usage  of  the  Society  of 
Friends,  common  to  the  Orthodox  and  Hicksite 
divisions." 

F.     "  We  take  no  oaths.     We  affirm." 

/.     "  On  what  grounds  ?  " 

f.  "  It  was  first  our  custom  by  reason  of  the  words 
of  Jesus,  '  Swear  not  at  all.'  We  go  not  to  war  with 
our  fellow-beings,  believing  this  to  be  a  great  sin  in 
the  sight  of  a  God  whose  name  is  Love,  and  whose 
nature  is  Peace  and  Good-will  to  all.  As  a  people 
we,  and  especially  the  Hicksites,  were  in  favor  of  the 
abolition  of  the  dark  sin  of  slavery ;  but  it  was  our 
view  that  this  great  and  good  work  might  be  done 
by  other  means  than  shedding  the  blood  of  fellow- 
men. 

"We  do  not  believe  in  a  hireling  ministry  or  in  a 
collegiate  training  for  the  making  of  ministers.  The 
Holy  Spirit  is  the  only  and  sufficient  guide  in  this 
matter.  That  can  speak  to  us  through  women  as  well 
as  men." 

/.  "If  you  accepted  the  letter  of  the  Scripture  as 
authority,  I  should  quote  to  you  the  command  of  St. 


FURTHER    OBSERVATIONS.  19! 

Paul,  '  I  suffer  not  a  woman-  to  teach,  nor  to  usurp 
authority  over  the  man,  but  to  be  in  silence.' " 

I?.  "From  the  same  Scripture,  I  will  say  to  thee, 
it.  was  prophesied  by  Joel  and  spoken  by  Peter,  that 
in  the  last  days,  the  daughters  as  well  as  the  sons 
should  prophesy,  and  on  the  hand-maidens  God  did 
pour  out  His  spirit  so  that  they  should  prophesy." 

/.  "  Then  any  woman  who  feels  the  Spirit  moving 
her  to  speak  can  do  so  in  your  meetings?" 

F.  "The  meeting  takes  time  for  judgment  before 
our  ministers,  men  or  women,  are  approved." 

I.  "You  spoke  of  not  favoring  a  ministry  who  had 
received  a  collegiate  training.  Do  you  not  encourage 
your  young  men  to  obtain  a  liberal  education?" 

F.  "  We  make  it  one  of  our  rules  to  give  our  sons 
a  good  education  to  fit  them  for  business  ;  but  we  do 
not  generally  approve  of'their  going  to  college." 

/.     "  May  I  ask  the  reason  ?" 

F.  "It  is  upon  our  principle  of  use  instead  of 
vain  show.  We  also  think  that  they  learn  many 
things  at  college  which  will  do  them  no  good  in  after 
life,  and  may  do  them  much  hurt." 

F?s  "wife.  "  Our  people  do  not  approve  of  their 
sons  and  daughters  reading  unprofitable  books,  like 
many  works  of  fiction." 

F.'s  daughter.  "Yet  thee  knows  that  we  do  read 
some  good  novels." 

F.     "Thee  need  not  call  them  novels,  dear." 

/.  "I  think  I  have  heard  that  your  marriage  cer- 
emony is  peculiar." 

F.  "In  monthly  meeting,  our  people  who  intend 
to  be  joined  in  marriage  appear  with  their  parents  or 


192  AMONG    THE    QUAKERS. 

guardians,  or  in  the  absence  of  these,  with  certificates 
of  their  consent,  and  propose  their  intention.  A  com- 
mittee is  appointed  to  inquire  if  they  are  clear  of  other 
engagements  respecting  marriage.  At  a  public  meet- 
ing, if  no  such  obstacle  appears,  the  meeting  consents 
to  the  marriage.  The  two  persons  then  stand  up  and 
take  each  other  for  husband  and  wife.  A  certificate 
is  read  aloud,  and  these  two  persons  sign,  as  do  the 
relations  and  any  others  as  witnesses." 

F.'s  wife.  "  A  bride  of  our  society  is  not  allowed 
to  wear  a  veil." 

/.  "  A  fortunate  edict,  since  the  Quakeresses  are 
generally  too  pretty  to  require  aid  from  any  such  out- 
ward adorning." 

F.  "  George  Fox  taught  that  we  were  not  to  give 
compliments,  as  they  belonged  to  the  marks  of  a 
wicked  world." 

/.  "But  I  am  sure  Elias  Hicks  is  silent  upon  that 
subject.  He  lived  under  a  newer  light"  (glancing  at 
the  Friend's  daughters.) 

F.  (very  gravely.)  "  We  bury  our  dead  also  in  a 
manner  peculiar  to  ourselves.  We  did  not  believe  in 
arraying  a  corpse  in  fine  dress.  The  body,  covered  in 
a  simple  manner,  was  sometimes  carried  into  meeting 
before  being  followed  to  the  grave.  At  the  grave  a 
pause  is  made.  Almost  always  some  one  of  our  min- 
isters speaks  a  few  words.  This  is  the  sum  of  our  rite. 
But  of  late  years  we  conform  more  to  the  world  in  the 
matter  of  the  raiment  for  our  dead." 

/.  "  Do  you  believe  in  a  resurrection  of  the  natural 
body,  or,  in  other  words,  a  literal  resurrection  ?  " 

F.     "  Some  of  us  do  and  some  do  not." 


FURTHER   OBSERVATIONS.  193 

/.  "Probably  the  opinions  of  Quakers  differ  as 
much  as  do  their  dress." 

F.     "  We  support  our  own  poor." 

/.  "  Do  you  require  any  subscription  to  your  arti- 
cles of  faith  in  order  to  membership  ?  " 

F.  "  We  do  not.  We  expect  those  who  come  into 
our  society  as  members  to  be  convinced  of  our  belief; 
and  after  the  usual  inquiries  and  deliberation,  they  are 
formally  admitted." 

/.  "  Why  do  you  say  First  day  instead  of  Sunday, 
and  Fourth  day,  as  also  the  months  by  figures  instead 
of  their  names?" 

F.     "  The  common  names  of  months  and  days  we 
hold  to  be  relics  of  Paganism.     They  came  from  the  ' 
heathen,  who  by  these  names  intended  compliments  to 
their  heroes  or  gods.    We  prefer  the  ordinal  numbers." 

/.  "Why  do.  you  address  each  other  and  some- 
times others  not  of  your  own  body,  by  Thee  and  Thou, 
instead  of  the  usual  way?" 

F.  "  The  plural  number  used  in  address,  comes 
from  what  one  of  our  writers  calls  '  motives  of  adula- 
tion.' We  believe  in  a  sensible  simplicity  in  all 
things." 

F.'s  wife.  "  It  seems  more  friendly  to  say  these 
words." 

F.  "  We  do  not  always  use  them  to  our  friends 
who  are  not  accustomed  to  us,  lest  they  might  feel  that 
we  wished  to  make  them  strangers.  In  all  things  we 
wish  to  be  what  our  name  teaches  — friends" 

Israel  thought  that  they  could  not  readily  wish  a 
better  or  nobler  object ;  but  he  remembered  the  injunc- 
tion upon  compliments,  and  was  silent. 
13 


194  AMONG    THE    QUAKERS. 

The  next  clay  Israel  was  in  a  public  library.  By 
chance  his  eye  fell  upon'a  book  entitled  "  Quakerism, 
or  the  Story  of  My  Life."  He  took  it  and  read  it  with 
avidity.  He  paused  not  till  he  had  concluded  the  last 
page. 

This,  with  the  account  of  the  doctrines  of  Elias 
Hicks,  decided  him  to  go  farther  in  search  of  The  City. 

Yet  he  ever  accounted  these  "Friends  "  as  some  of 
the  truest  and  most  valuable  of  his  life. 


AMONG    THE    SWEDENBORGIANS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

CONVERSATION    WITH    A    SWEDENBORGIAN. 

A  YOUNG  man,  who  boarded  with  Israel  Knight, 
sickened  and  died  under  circumstances  of  trial.  All 
the  inmates  of  the  house,  save  one,  were  gloomy ; 
some  were  affrighted.  Israel  was  both.  From  his 
earliest  memory  he  had  a  morbid  dread  of  contact 
with  death  and  the  cerements  of  the  tomb.  He 
absented  himself  from  a  funeral  whenever  he  could  in 
decent  regard  for  the  feelings  of  the  living.  In  fearful 
words  he  ever  spoke  of  the  dying  and  the  dead. 

He  thought  this  feeling  arose  from  having  lost  his 
parents  at  a  tender  age  ;  but  persons  in  all  favoring 
conditions  often  are  not  unlike  him  in  this  respect. 

There  was  one  of  his  fellow  boarders  who  was  never 
more  serenely  cheerful,  more  hopeful  and  happy  than 
in  this  time  of  general  gloom, 

"  How  is  it,"  asked  Israel  of  this  friend,  "  that  you 
seem  as  tranquil  as  though  this  distressing  event  had 
not  happened  ? " 

"  I  can  well  remember  when  it  was  not  so  with 
me,"  he  replied ;  "  once  I  regarded  such  scenes  as 
gloomily  as  any  other  person.  Not  until  the  true  idea 
of  death  was  taught  me,  did  I  come  to  a  different 
mind." 

195 


196  AMONG    THE    SWEDENBORGIANS. 

"  The  true  idea  of  death  !  "  repeated  Israel ;  "  what 
have  you  of  this  which  men  of  science  and  religion 
have  not?" 

"  I  have  the  substance  of  tilings  hoped  for,  the 
evidence  of  things  not  seen.  I  have  faith,"  answered 
his  friend  Stilwell. 

Israel  remembered  that  this  man  was  a  Sweden- 
borgian,  and  knowing  scarcely  more  of  this  belief 
than  the  name,  he  quickly  rejoined  — 

"  Faith  !  Yes,  so  had  the  followers  of  Mahomet  when 
they  credited  the  prophet's  assertion  that  he  rode  to  the 
third  heaven  on  his  white  horse  Alborak,  in  one  night." 

Stilwell  calmly  continued  :  — 

"  A  beautiful  alabaster  results  from  the  slow  drip- 
ping of  water  in  stalactitic  caves ;  so  does  the  quality 
of  joyful  faith  form  itself  by  tempei'ate  degrees,  in  the 
recesses  of  that  soul  which  is  blessed  with  the  influ- 
ences of  a  true  doctrine." 

"  Whatever  helps  to  rob  death  in  the  article,  or  in 
its  associating  idea,  of  its  real  terror,  is  worth  consid- 
ering," said  Israel:  "your  fruits  appear  to  be  good, 
and  I  would  know  of  your  doctrine." 

"Emanuel  Swedenborg,"  said  Stilwell,  "  is  reckoned 
either  an  impostor  or  a  madman  by  the  majority  of  the 
Christian  world.  When  I  say  Christian,  I  mean  in  dis- 
tinction from  Pagan  or  Mahometan.  This  is  the  result 
of  crude  reflection  and  the  pitifulest  superficial  inves- 
tigation. Many  a  theologian  opens  one  of  his  books, 
and  discovers  at  random  some  such  words  as  these  :  — 

(Stilwell  took  a  book  entitled  "  Heaven  and  Hell," 
and  after  carefully  turning  the  leaves,  read  aloud  a 
short  passage,  then  continued,)  "  This  reader  soon 


CONVERSATION    WITH    A    SWEDENBORGIAN.       197 

closes  the  book  in  impatience,  pronouncing  summary 
judgment.  But  what  does  he  really  know  of  these 
sublime  and  beautiful  truths?" 

"  Doubtless  these  works  suffer  from  prejudice,"  said 
Israel,  "  like  almost  all  others ;  but  I  am  now  chiefly 
interested  to  learn  the  Swedenborgian  view  of  de- 
parted spirits." 

"  We  of  this  faith  believe  that  the  spirits  of  the 
departed  are  about  us.  Those  who  loved  goodness 
and  good  use  in  this  life,  perform  corresponding  work 
in  the  next.  Death  makes  no  change  except  in  con- 
ditions. It  disrobes  us  of  the  natural  body,  and  clothes 
us  with  a  spiritual  one  that  is  indescribably  more 
capable  of  obeying  the  will.  We  do  not  mourn  for 
the  dead  as  do  some  others.  We  believe  that  they  are 
near  us  as  before,  only  in  a  much  more  favorable  con- 
dition. Our  friend  who  has  just  left  our  sight  has 
only  gone  out  of  this  state  of  existence,  as  it  were,  from 
one  room  into  another,  the  separating  door  being  what 
we  call  death.  It  was  necessary  that  he  should  go  at 
this  time.  He  had  fulfilled  the  appointed  work  of 
his  mortal  life.  His  spirit  had  completed  its  earthly 
conditions,  and  hence  could  not  remain  in  the  flesh 
another  instant. 

"  I  sometimes  smile  at  the  short-sightedness  of  those 
persons  who  speak  of  this  or  that  contingent  circum- 
stance as  controlling  the  death  of  a  person.  '  If  the 
physician  had  done  thus,  pr  if  another  had  omitted 
that,  it  might  have  been  otherwise.'  When  we  are 
ripe  for  death,  we  die,  whether  it  be  at  one  age  or 
another,  and  no  mortal  power  can  speed  or  detain  us. 
Death  is  always  a  blessing ;  hence  an  event  never  to 


198  AMONG    THE    SWEDENBORGIANS. 

be  mourned.  In  the  case  of  the  good,  who  by  a  pre- 
pared life  are  capable  of  entering  a  glorious  service 
there,  all  acknowledge  that  it  is  infinite  gain.  We 
believe  it  is  gain  to  them,  and  in  a  certain  sense,  to  us 
who  are  left.  They  are  far  more  capable  of  doing  us 
good  than  when  here,  subject  to  the  flesh.  They  see 
more  clearly  and  perform  more  perfectly. 

"  In  the  case  of  the  wicked,  it  is  also  a  cause  of 
joy,  for  they  are  prevented  from  accruing  evil  and  evil 
development  of  themselves.  Sometimes  this  wicked- 
ness flows  from  ignorance  and  mistaken  education. 
These  are  permitted  to  receive  new  and  heavenly 
tuition :  by  degrees  they  become  receptive  of  heavenly 
blessedness.  Their  understanding  being  opened,  they, 
of  their  own  free  will,  gradually  turn  to  the  light 
which  is  another  name  for  truth. 

"  Those  persons  who  have  had  the  privilege  of  great 
light  on  earth,  and  yet  set  their  faces  as  a  flint  against 
the  truth,  exalting  their  own  wisdom  above  that  which 
is  divine,  and  refusing  to  love  the  Lord  and  the  neigh- 
bor, by  death  are  placed  in  more  favorable  conditions 
for  the  purification  of  their  understanding  and  will. 
If  they  continue  to  resist  this  light,  they  become  evil 
spirits,  and  consociate  with  the  inhabitants  of  the  hells. 

"  To  these,  also,  death  is  a  blessing,  for  longer  life 
in  this  world  would  only  have  added  to  their  capabil- 
ities of  evil." 

u  Your  theory  of  an  intermediate  state  has  plausi- 
bility, but,  I  apprehend,  no  Scriptural  authority," 
remarked  Israel ;  and  added  after  a  slight  pause,  "Do 
we  not  read  in  Ecclesiastes,  eleventh  chapter  and 
second  verse,  '  In  the  place  where  the  tree  fallcth, 


CONVERSATION   WITH    A    SWEDENBORGIAN.       199 

there  it  shall  be,"  and  also  elsewhere,  '  He  that  is 
unjust,  let  him  be  unjust  still,'  etc." 

"  Your  quotation  from  Ecclesiastes,"  said  his  friend, 
"  has  no  reference  to  a  future  state.  Examine  the 
context,  which  is  an  exhortation  to  benevolence,  and 
teaches  that  we  ought  to  give  whenever  needful,  to  all 
classes  of  persons,  for  we  know  not  how  soon  we  may 
fall  into  their  power,  when  it  will  be  in  their  hands 
to  deal  unto  us.  Vicissitudes  of  life  are  inevitable. 
Events  must  take  place  when  the  causes  are  matured, 
and  no  earthly  power  can  change  their  course.  If  the 
calamity  falls  across  our  threshold,  or  our  most  remote 
project,  to  the  north,  or  the  south,  it  cannot  be  averted 
or  escaped.  Therefore  we  should  be  charitable  unto 
all,  that  in  the  day  of  our  suffering  the  bread  which 
we  cast  upon  the  waters  may  return  to  us.  This 
lesson  of  the  inevitable  course  of  events  teaches  us 
mutual  love  and  charity. 

"  In  regard  to  your  other  quotation,  it  is  exactly 
accordant  with  the  doctrine  of  Swedenborg  as  revealed 
to  him  by  the  Lord.  I  have  just  said  that  there  are 
those  who,  from  their  own  will  and  enlightened  under- 
standing are  evil.  These  continue  to  be  what  they 
were  at  death. 

"  Let  me  read  to  you,"  continued  Stilwell :  "  The 
first  state  of  man  after  death  is  similar  to  his  state  in 
the  world,  because  then  in  like  manner  he  is  in  exter- 
nals. *  *  This  first  state  continues  with  some  for 
days,  with  some  for  months,  and  with  some  for  a  year  ; 
and  seldom  with  any  one  beyond  a  year.  *  *  * 
The  second  state  of  man  after  death  is  called  the  state 
of  the  interiors,  because  he  is  then  let  into  the  interiors 


2OO  AMONG    THE    SWEDENBORGIANS. 

which  are  of  his  mind,  or  of  the  will  and  thought. 
*  *  *  All  men  whatever  are  let  into  this  state  after 
death,'because  it  is  proper  to  their  spirit.  *  *  When 
the  spirit  is  in  this  state  of  his  interiors,  it  then  mani- 
festly appears  of  what  quality  the  man  was  in  himself 
during  his  life  in  the  world,  for  he  then  acts  from  his 
own  proprium.  All  who  have  lived  in  good  in  the 
world,  and  have  acted  from  conscience,  as  is  the  case 
with  all  those  who  have  acknowledged  a  Divine,  and 
have  loved  divine  truths,  especially  those  who  have 
applied  them  to  the  life,  appear  to  themselves  when 
let  into  the  state  of  their  interiors,  like  those  who, 
being  awakened  out  of  sleep,  come  into  the  full  use  of 
sight,  and  like  those  who  from  shade  enter  into  light ; 
heaven  also  flows  into  their  thoughts  and  affections 
with  interior  blessedness  and  delight,  of  which  before 
they  knew  nothing  ;  for  they  have  communication  with 
the  angels  of  heaven :  on  this  occasion  also  they 
acknowledge  the  Lord,  and  worship  Him  from  their 
very  life.  But  altogether  contrary  is  the  state  of  those 
who  in  the  world  have  lived  in  evil,  and  who  have  had 
no  conscience,  and  have  hence  denied  a  Divine.  *  * 
"  The  third  state  of  man  after  death,  or  of  his  spirit, 
is  a  state  of  instruction  ;  this  state  appertains  10  those 
who  come  into  heaven,  and  become  angels,  but  not  to 
those  who  come  into  hell,  since  these  latter  cannot  be 
instructed  ;  wherefore  their  second  state  is  likewise  their 
third,  which  closes  in  this  circumstance,  that  they  are  al- 
together turned  to  their  own  love,  thus  to  the  infernal  so- 
ciety which  is  in  similar  love.  But  the  good  are  brought 
from  the  second  state  into  the  third,which  is  a  state  of 
their  preparation  for  heaven  by  instruction.  *  * 


CONVERSATION   WITH    A    SWEDENBORGIAN.      2OI 

"  The  good  spirits  who  are  to  be  instructed  are 
conveyed  thither  by  the  Lord,  when  they  have  passed 
through  their  second  state  in  the  world  of  spirits,  but 
still  not  all ;  for  they  who  had  been  instructed  in  the 
world  were  there  also  prepared  by  the  Lord  for 
heaven,  and  are  conveyed  into  heaven  by  another 
way ;  some  immediately  after  death ;  some  after  a 
short  stay  with  good  spirits,  where  the  grosser  thoughts 
and  affections,  which  they  contracted  from  honors 
and  riches  of  the  world,  are  removed,  and  thus  they 
are  purified." 

"  He  goes  on  to  say,"  continued  Stilwell,  "  that 
some  of  these  suffer  severely  before  being  fitted  for 
heaven,  because  they  had  confirmed  themselves  in 
falses,  and  still  have  led  good  lives. 

"  He  next  proceeds  to  describe  in  what  way  these 
different  societies  are  instructed,  and  afterwards  how 
they  are  admitted  into  the  heavenly  societies." 

Israel  continued  :  "I  think  you  have  alluded  to  the 
general  belief  of  the  resurrection  of  the  natural  body 
as  somewhat  distinctive  from  your  own.  May  I  ask 
if  this  is  so  ?  " 

"  The  followers  of  Emanuel  Swedenborg,  accept- 
ing his  instruction  upon  this  point,  do  not  believe  in 
the  resurrection  of  this  body  which  we  see,  nor  in  any 
other  resurrection  than  what  takes  place  at  death." 

"  Then  you  reject  the  doctrine  of  the  Bible  upon 
this  point?" 

"  On  the  contrary  we  receive  every  word  of  Holy 
Writ  which  we  deem  the  word  of  divine  inspira- 
tion. You  are  aware  that  we  as  a  church,  accept  as 
canonical  only  twenty-nine  books  of  the  Old  Testa- 


2O2  AMONG    THE    SWEDENBORGIANS. 

ment,  and  of  the  New  Testament,  the  four  gospels 
with  the  Revelations.  But  many  Swedenborgiansf 
myself  included,  reverently  accept  all  Scripture  as 
given  by  inspiration.  Swedenborg  affirmed  that  these 
were  the  books  of  the  word,  because  only  these  had 
their  internal  sense  opened  to  him.  We  who  believe 
all,  find  no  real  difficulty  in  interpreting  the  words  of 
St.  Paul  upon  the  resurrection,  in  consonance  with 
tlfe  teachings  of  our  faith.  We  have  books  written  in 
explanation  of  his  pneumatology,  which  are  clear, 
convincing,  and  entirely  faithful  to  our  view.  Of 
these,  I  would  refer  you  to  '  Foregleams  of  Immor- 
tality '  as  one  of  the  most  valuable  of  this  class.  You 
will  also  find  that  many  eminent  thinkers  of  the 
various  churches  have  received  the  Swedenborgian 
teaching  upon  this  as  well  as  some  other  themes,  and 
engrafted  it  skilfully  upon  their  own  theologies,  with- 
out the  slightest  acknowledgment." 

"  Will  you  state  to  me,  concisely,  your  view  of  the 
resurrection?"  continued  Israel. 

"  When  I  explain  our  idea  of  the  resurrection,  I  mean 
only  our  view  of  death.  In  the  internal  sense  of  the 
word  death  means  a  resurrection,  or,  as  we  most  often 
call  it,  a  resuscitation.  When  a  person  is  sai^  to  die, 
we  understand  that  he  has  been  raised  out  of  the 
material  body.  By  this  I  mean  that  the  spiritual  body, 
or  the  man  himself,  has  been  set  free  from  his  earthly 
integument  or  covering. 

"This  is  beautifully  expressed  in  Ecclesiastes  12: 
6,  7  :  'Or  ever  the  silver  cord  be  loosed,  or  the  golden 
bowl  be  broken,  or  the  pitcher  be  broken  at  the  foun- 
tain, or  the  wheel  broken  at  the  cistern.'  The  silver 


CONVERSATION    WITH    A    SWEDENBORGIAN.       203 

cord  is  the  spinal  marrow ;  the  golden  bowl  is  the 
head ;  the  pitcher  the  heart,  and  the  wheel  the  lungs. 
'  Then  shall  the  dust  return  to  the  earth  as  it  was : 
and  the  spirit  shall  return  unto  the  God  who  gave  it.' 
Observe,  the  words  are,  '  to  the  earth  as  it  -was]  clearly 
teaching  that  rio  part  of  the  Divine  nature  which  was 
breathed  into  man  when  he  became  a  living  soul,  is 
returned  to  the  dust,  or  its  former  element  of  matter. 

"The  moment  of  this  separation  of  body  and  spirit 
is  when  the  motion  of  the  lungs  and  of  the  heart  ceases. 
Then  takes  place  the  opening  of  the  spiritual  sight,  by 
the  angels  of  the  Lord.  In  some  cases  this  com- 
mences before  the  cessation  of  the  respiratory  and 
systolic  motions.  Dying  persons  have  been  permitted 
to  testify  of  what  they  saw  and  heard,  to  the  living 
about  them.  In  this  connection  I  often  think  of  the 
death-bed  scenes  of  the  spiritual-minded  Payson,  an 
unhappy  theologian,  but  a  devout  Christian,  who 
received  remarkably  clear  views  of  certain  things 
pertaining  to  the  invisible  life. 

"Mrs.  Payson  observed  to  him,  'Your  head  feels 
hot,  and  appears  to  be  distended.'  He  replied,  '  It 
seems  as  if  the  soul  disdained  such  a  narrow  prison, 
and  was  determined  to  break  through  with  an  angel's 
energy,  and  I  trust  with  no  small  portion  of  an  angel's 
feeling,  until  it  mounts  on  high.'  Again  he  said,  'It 
seems  as  if  my  soul  had  found  a  pair  of  new  wings, 
and  was  so  eager  to  try  them,  that  in  her  fluttering  she 
would  rend  the  fine  net-work'  of  the  body  to  pieces.' 
He  also  said,  '  Hitherto  I  have  viewed  God  as  a 
fixed  star,  bright  indeed,  but  often  intercepted  by 
clouds  ;  but  now  he  is  coming  nearer  and  nearer,  and 


204  AMONG    THE    SWEDENBORGIANS. 

spreads  into  a  sun,  so  vast  and  glorious  that  the  sight 
is  too  dazzling  for  flesh  and  blood  to  sustain.' 

"  These,  also,  were  his  impressive  words :  '  And 
now  God  is  in  this  room  ;  I  see  him  ;  and  O  how 
unspeakably  lovely  and  glorious  does  he  appear, — 
worthy  of  ten  thousand,  thousand  hearts,  if  we  had 
them.  He  is  here  and  hears  me  pleading  with  the 
creatures  that  he  has  made,  whom  he  preserves  and 
loads  with  blessings,  to  love  him.  And  O,  how  ter- 
rible does  it  appear  to  me  to  sin  against  this  God  ;  to 
set  up  our  wills  in  opposition  to  his ;  and  when  we 
awake  in  the  morning,  instead  of  thinking  "What 
shall  I  do  to  please  my  God  to-day?"  to  inquire 
"What  shall  I  do  to  please  myself  to-day?" 

"I  remember,"  said  Israel,  " hearing  an  account  of 
a  little  child,  who,  just  before  dying,  raised  her  finger 
as  if  pointing  to  some  one  who  appeared  above  her. 
In  this  manner  she  died,  and  her  body  appeared  in 
the  casket  with  the  little  finger  pointing  upward  ! " 

"Yes,"  said  Stilwell,  "many  are  the  cases  which 
have  shown  that  the  spiritual  vision  is  partially  un- 
closed before  the  spirit  is  released.  Persons  often 
recognize  their  friends  who  are  dead, 

"  Swedenborg  teaches  that  the  good  angols  are 
always  present  to  resuscitate  and  introduce  the  spirit 
to  the  other  world.  But  if  the  spirit  is  evil,  he  does 
not  long  remain  with  them,  and  separates  himself  of 
his  own  accord  to  be  with  those  of  a  similar  love  to 
his  own.  The  attractions  and  repulsions  which  we 
constantly  see  here,  continue  there  with  even  greater 
force,  since  all  motives  to  concealment  are  removed. 

u  Now  the  material  body  grows  cold,  and  passes  into 


CONVERSATION   WITH    A    SWEDENBORGIAN.       205 

the  conditions  of  decay  like  any  other  dead  animal 
matter.  We  regard-  it  of  no  more  consequence, 
except  out  of  a  decent  respect  for  its  former  use  as  the 
abode  of  the  living  tenant  who  has  forever  left  it.  The 
accidents  of  death,  like  the  funeral  paraphernalia  and 
the  place  of  interment,  have  no  significance  to  us,  save 
as  signs  established  by  custom.  These  signs,  I  wish 
you  to  remember,  are  always  joyful  emblems  to  a 
Swedenborgian.  With  our  views  how  can  they  be 
otherwise?  We  feel  that  the  departed  one  has  gone 
beyond  the  sting  of  death,  and  has  gotten  the  victory 
over  the  grave.  Was  there  to  be  a  necessity  of  another 
resurrection  like  that  promulgated  by  the  churches, 
the  grave  would  retain  its  triumph,  and  death  its  sting. 

"  The  injurious  tendency  of  this  unnatural  doctrine 
of  the  body  being  recalled  from  the  elements  into 
which  it  has  been  scattered  for  uncounted  ages,  and 
accomplishing  a  i-eunion  with  the  soul,  is  seen  by  the 
undefined  and  heathen  notions  of  many  Christian 
writers.  These  compare  death  and  their  resurrection, 
to  winter  and  the  awakening  of  nature  in  time  of 
spring,  leaving  the  inference  of  a  period  being  passed 
by  the  spirit  or  real  man  in  a  state  of  unconsciousness. 
In  one  moment  they  will  speak  of  the  dead  as  in  the 
other  world  and  also  as  in  the  tomb  ;  as  having  passed 
to  a  final  state  of  rewards  and  punishments,  and  as 
waiting  for  the  judgment  of  the  last  great  day. 

"From  such  instruction,  it  is  natural  that  many  be- 
came too  confused  to  accept  any  clearer  views-  than 
the  sleep  of  the  soul  with  the  body  in  the  grave.  It 
is  pitiful  that  they  are  thus  robbed  of  some  of  the 
highest  and  purest  consolations  of  our  life.  To  them, 


2O6  AMONG   THE    SWEDENBORGIANS. 

it  must  indeed  be  '  a  dread  and  awful  thing  to  die,'  or 
to  have  their  beloved  ones  come  under  the  shadow  of 
such  a  grim  conqueror  who  consigns  his  victims  to 
the  abode  of  darkness,  silence,  and  final  decay.  The 
wailings,  the  gloom,  and  the  despair  which  often 
accompany  this  event  are  seen  to  be  consonant  with 
this  false  and  heathen  doctrine." 

Israel  continued  :  "  It  must  be  a  consolation  to  be- 
lieve that  our  departed  ones  are  still  near  us,  and  per- 
fectly cognizant  of  what  is  passing  in  this  life." 

"  How  can  we  believe  otherwise,  when  the  history 
of  the  world,  both  inspired  and  profane,  is  replete 
with  testimonies  to  this  point.  Could  Moses  and 
Elias  have  appeared  unto  the  disciples  had  they  not 
been  in  a  state  of  existence,  and  knowing  passing 
events  in  the  world  ?  You  remember  the  words  in  the 
Apocalypse :  '  And  I,  John,  saw  these  things,  and 
heard  them.  And  when  I  had  heard  and  seen,  I  fell 
down  to  worship  before  the  feet  of  the  angel  which 
shewed  me  these  things.  Then  saith  he  unto  me,  See 
thou  do  it  not :  for  I  am  thy  fellow-servant,  and  of 
thy  brethren  the  -prophets,  and  of  them  which  keep 
the  sayings  of  this  book  :  worship  God.' " 

"  This  was  called  an  angel  and  not  a  spirit,"  said 
Israel. 

"  Certainly,  since  all  angels  of  whom  we  ever  knew 
anything  in  this  life,  were  once  men,"  answered  Stil- 
well.' 

"  We  are  taught  to  believe  by  the  Christian  church 
that  the  orders  of  angel  and  spirit  are  entirely  differ- 
ent, the  first  being  superior  to  those  who  once  lived  in 


CONVERSATION    WITH    A  SWEDENBORGIAN.       2Of 

the  flesh  ;  and  generally  it  is  believed  that  angels  only 
are  permitted  to  minister  to  the  world." 

"'You  are  so  taught  by  Milton,  whose  theology 
contained  more  poetry  than  truth.  There  is  no  such 
teaching  in  the  word  of  God.  In  Judges,  thirteenth 
chapter,  you  will  find  that  when  the  angel  appeared 
unto  the  mother  of  Samson,  he  is  called  a  man  of 
God  as  well  as  the  angel  of  God  ;  again  he  is  simply 
called  'the  man.' 

"In  the  book  of  Daniel,  the  angel  Gabriel  is  called 
the  man  Gabriel. 

"The  angels  who  appeared  unto  Mary  in  the  Holy 
Sepulchre  were  doubtless  like  men,  as  there  is  no 
record  of  her  regarding  them  otherwise.  They  talked 
with  her  like  men. 

"In  Revelations,  twenty-first  chapter  and  seven- 
teenth verse,  it  reads :  '  And  he  measured  the  wall 
thereof,  a  hundred  and  forty  and  four  cubits,  according 
to  the  measure  of  a  man  ;  that  is,  of  the  angel.' 

"I  recommend  you,  however,  to  read  the  words  of 
Swedenborg  upon  this  and  other  subjects  to  which  I 
could  not  much  more  than  allude." 

"  That  will  I  do." 


2C>8  AMONG    THE    SWEDENBORGIANS. 


CHAPTER  II. 

CONVERSATION    CONTINUED. 

ISRAEL  continued  :  "  I  wish  to  hear  your  views  of 
the  character  and  mission  of  Jesus  Christ  on  earth. 
Your  words  respecting  the  purification  by  an  interme- 
diate state  of  discipline  and  instruction,  as  also  some 
of  your  observations  upon  the  resurrection,  have 
excited  my  interest.  In  short,  let  me  first  ask  you  if 
you  believe  in  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  ?  " 

"Swedenborg  teaches  that  there  is  but  one  God. 
This  God  was  and  is  Jesus  Christ.  In  Jesus  Christ 
(as  we  are  taught  by  writers  of  this  faith)  '  is  a  Trinity 
composed  of  the  Essential  Divinity,  the  Divine  Hu- 
manity, and  the  Divine  Proceeding,  corresponding  to 
the  human  trinity  in  every  man,  of  body,  soul,  and 
operating  energy.  In  eternity  He  was  Creator,  in 
time,  Redeemer,  and  to  eternity,  Regenerator.'  No 
other  God  will  be  seen  in  Heaven  but  Jesus  Christ. 
His  appearance  there  is  as  a  sun  high  above  the  heavens. 
Hence,  in  the  time  of  his  transfiguration  before  the 
disciples,  whose  spiritual  sight  was  partially  opened,  it 
is  said,  '  His  face  did  shine  as  the  sun.'  (Matt.  17  :  2.) 
Also  in  the  apocalyptic  vision  to  John,  '  His  eyes  were 
as  a  flame  of  fire ;  and  his  feet  like  unto  fine  brass,  as 
if  they  burned  in  a  furnace.'  The  mission  of  the 


CONVERSATION    WITH    A    SWEDENBORGlAN.       209 

incarnate  Deity  was,  in  the  language  of  another,  '  to 
check  the  overgrown  influence  of  wicked  spirits  over 
the  minds  of  men,  opening  a  nearer  communication 
with  the  heavenly  powers,  and  making  salvation, 
which  is  regeneration,  possible  for  all  who  believe  in 
the  incarnate  God,  and  keep  his  commandments.' 

"  Let  me  read  to  you  from  the  pages  of  a  prominent 
disciple  of  this  faith :  l  It  was  not,  then,  any  selfish 
regard  to  His  own  glory  which  led  to  this  grand 
expedient ;  but  in  his  love  and  his  pity  he  redeemed 
us.  There  never  was  any  conflict  between  his  attri- 
butes. The  justice  of  God  is  but  his  goodness  in 
restorative  action.  He  does  not  demand  the  punish- 
ment of  an  innocent  substitute.  (Gen.  18 :  25  ;  Ez. 
1 8  :  20.)  He  requires  our  repentance  and  reformation 
alone.  (Jer.  18:7,  8  ;  Isa.  56  :  7  ;  Luke  24  :  47  -  8  ; 
Acts  5  :  30—  i  ;  i  John  1,9.)  It  is  not  enough  barely 
to  believe  all  this,  though  true  ;  to  repent  in  extremity ; 
or  to  confess  our  sins  in  the  gross.'  " 

"But  how  will  you  manage  the  case  of  the  thief  on 
the  cross  ?  "  here  interposed  Israel. 

"  Christ  only  promised  him  paradise,"  said  Stil- 
well,  "  and  by  what  I  have  already  told  you,  you  can 
understand  our  view  of  the  states  after  death.  If  the 
thief,  on  coming  into  paradise  or  the  state  of  blessed- 
ness, found  himself  fitted  for  that  society,  he  would 
remain  ;  on  the  contrary,  if  he  was  evil  in  the  ruling 
love,  he  would  leave  there  of  his  own  accord.  None 
are  banished  from  happiness  or  heaven  by  the  Lord 
or  His  angels,  more  than  are  they  excluded  from  good- 
ness and  its  enjoyment  on  earth,  save  by  their  free 
will.  It  by  no  means  followed  that  this  person  was  a 

H 


2IO  AMONG   THE    SWEDENBORGIANS. 

good  angel  after  death,  in  his  ultimate  state,  because 
he  was  to  be  with  Christ  in  paradise  that  day." 

Israel  continued  :  "Since  Paul  uses  the  word  'par- 
adise '  as  synonymous  with  the  '  third  heaven '  in  his 
account  of  his  remarkable  vision,  into  which  he  was 
caught  up  and  heard  unspeakable  words,  I  think  the 
condition  of  tbe  repentant  thief  may  be  predicated  as 
tolerably  safe,  especially  as  he  was  there  to  be  with 
Christ." 

"  Place  has  no  importance,"  said  the  Swedenbor- 
gian  ;  "  it  is  state  or  the  condition  of  the  soul  and  spirit. 
Here,  what  is  heaven  to  one  man  is  hell  to  another, 
and  the  converse.  Precisely  is  it  thus  hereafter. 
Dives  could  speak  to  Lazarus,  who  was  in  Abraham's 
bosom,  and  yet  between  them  was  a  great  gulf  fixed." 

"  That  was  a  parable,"  said  Israel. 

"  Certainly  ;  but  of  what  use  is  a  parable  save  as  a 
representation  of  truth  ?  If  it  represents  a  nonentity, 
a  falsehood,  it  is  not  a  parable,  but  a  myth.  As  such 
it  could  have  had  no  introduction  into  the  word  of  God. 

"  In  this  world,"  continued  Stilwell,  "there  is  also  a 
great  gulf  between  persons  of  different  faith  and  life. 
For  one  of  these  to  be  admitted  into  the  life  of  the 
other,  would  be,  indeed,  an  indescribable  torment.  It 
is  not  the  act  of  the  good  which  banishes  the  evil  from 
their  presence  or  life ;  but  they  go  away  to  their  own 
place  in  the  greatest  freedom  of  choice. 

"To  proceed  with  my  reading  upon  the  manner  in 
which  regeneration  is  effected,  and  the  death  of  Christ 
made  efficacious  unto  men  :  — 

" '  Man  must  examine  himself  in  detail ;  fight  against 
his  evils  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord  ;  follow  the  great 


CONVERSATION   WITH"  A    SWEDENBORGIAN.       211 

exemplar  ;  (Matt.  10 :  38  ;  16  :  24  ;  19  :  28  ;  i  Pet.  1 1  : 
21-2  ;  John  12  :  26 ;  i  Cor.  10:  13  ;  2  Cor.  3  :  17,  18  ; 
4  :  1 6  ;)  and  thus,  by  an  union  of  faith,  charity,  and 
good  works,  without  attaching  any  merit  to  either, 
"work  out  his  own  salvation,"  or  qualify  himself  for 
happiness.  We  know  of  no  shorter  road  to  heaven. 
A  God  of  truth  will  not  impute  to  us  either  the  good 
or  evil  which  was  not  and  could  not  have  been  done 
by  us.  (Ez.  18  :  20  —  21.)  And  though  all  are  pre- 
destinated to  heaven,  yet  none  will  be  forced  to  accept 
it ;  nor  will  any  be  elected,  but  by  that  principle  of 
spiritual  affinity  which  leads  those  who  are  by  refor- 
mation and  regeneration  made  like  Him,  to  choose 
Him  freely  and  reciprocally.  *  *  *  As  the  ability 
to  keep  the  commands  is  constantly  afforded,  voluntary 
perseverance,  and  constant  vigilance  are  as  little  as 
could  be  expected  in  return.' 

"  Here  follow  words  which  I  desire  you  to  espe- 
cially notice :  '  Who  then  can  estimate  the  importance 
of  regeneration,  when  we  reflect  that  man  is  by  every 
thought,  word,  and  act  of  his  life  drawing  his  own  por- 
trait and  forming  his  own  state  for  eternity  ?  When 
we  know  that  outward  realities  are  but  shadows  com- 
pared with  our  own  inward  imaginations  and  desires, 
and  that  we  are  either  good  or  bad,  and,  therefore, 
already  in  conjunction  either  with  heaven  or  with  hell, 
according  as  these  and  yet  deeper  principles  are  work- 
ing within  us.' 

"Yes,  my  friend,"  continued  Stilwell,  closing  the 
book,  "  we  are  already  either  in  heaven  or  in  hell. 
We  may  ourselves  know  whether  we  are  children  of 
God  or  of  the  Evil  —  for  he  that  is  born  of  God  or 


212  AMONG    THE    SWEDENBORGIANS. 

regenerated  into  the  truth,  hath  the  witness  in  himself. 
The  sign  signifying  the  presence  of  the  one  is  heavenly 
love  —  love  to  the  Lord,  which  is  also  love  to  the 
neighbor,  and  leads  us  to  do  all  the  good  unto  others 
in  our  power.  The  sign  signifying  the  other  is  hate 
—  hate  to  all  goodness  and  its  source ;  hate  to  the 
neighbor,  and  a  desire  to  accomplish  evil  to  others  in 
gratification  of  the  ruling  passion,  which  is  love  of 
self." 

"  Surely,"  commented  Israel,  "  those  ideas  are  more 
reasonable  to  the  sense  of  right  and  wrong  which 
seems  innate,  than  those  which  make  it  possible  to  be  • 
in  the  church,  and  fully  qualified  for  perfect  happiness 
at  death,  with  a  life  meantime  replete  with  all  manner 
of  sin  and  corruption,  or  yet  with  a  life  while  not 
especially  flagrant  in  act,  is  yet  disfigured  with  pride, 
envy,  revenge,  and  a  kind  of  refined,  ecclesiastical 
hate.  I  have  often  wondered  how  prominent  persons 
who  were  standard-bearers  in  the  churches,  could  so 
far  descend  from  their  high  privileges  as  children  of 
God  and  heirs  of  ineffable  love,  as  to  bicker  and  strive 
one  with  another,  and  to  manifest  a  will  which  evi- 
dently proceeded  from  self-love  rather  than  the  love 
of  the  Lord." 


WHO  WAS  EMANUEL  SWEDENBORG?       213 


CHAPTER  III. 

WHO  WAS  EMANUEL  SWEDENBORG? 

ISRAEL  made  this  note  :  "  Swedenborg  was  either 
an  impostor,  a  monomaniac,  a  superior  clairvoyant, 
or  what  he  claimed  to  be." 

After  reading  extensively  and  cai'efully,  he  amplified 
his  classification  thus:  "  Was  he  an  impostor?  This 
man's  father,  a  Lutheran  bishop  of  Skara,  West 
Gothland,  and  many  years  superintendent  of  the 
Swedish  mission  established  in  England  and  America, 
trained  his  child  in  his  own  severest  doctrines.  At 
seven  years  of  age  the  boy  fell  into  a  trance  while  in 
prayer.  After  this,  his  devotions  became  more  fre- 
quent and  fervid,  and  the  habitudes  of  his  mind  less 
natural  to  one  of  his  years.  Long  periods  were  spent 
by  him  in  abstruse  meditation  upon  the  profoundest 
questions  in  theology. 

"  His  education  was  liberal.  His  life  was  ever  open 
and  free  of  all  immoral  taint.  He  wrote  many  books 
containing  experiments  and  observations  in  math- 
ematics and  philosophy.  In  his  twenty-eighth  year,  he 
was  appointed  by  Charles  XII  assessor  to  the  Metallic 
College.  Afterwards,  was  ennobled  by  Queen  Ulrica, 
upon  which  occasion  his  name  was  changed  from 
Swedburg  to  Swedenborg.  He  was  a  fellow  of  the 


214  AMONG    THE    SWEDENBORGIANS. 

Royal  Academy  of  Sciences  at  Stockholm,  and  also  of 
Upsal  and  Petersburg.  These,  with  other  similar 
honors,  show  the  estimate  in  which  the  man  was  held  by 
his  contemporaries  who  knew  him  best.  In  his  travels 
in  Italy,  France,  and  England,  he  was  ever  regarded 
with  a  respect  commensurate  with  his  claims  as  a 
profound  scholar  and  a  man  of  pure  intentions.  Plain 
in  his  habits  and  independent  in  his  circumstances,  he 
was  removed  from  liabilities  of  the  imputation  of  self- 
interest.  Swedenborg  could  not  have  been  an  im- 
postor. 

"A  monomaniac? 

"  Into  the  negative  of  this  query,  the  foregoing  state- 
ments may  be  projected  as  fair  evidence.  The  Swe- 
dish prime  minister,  his  friend  of  forty  years'  standing, 
exclaims  in  his  eulogy  —  'The  amiable  enthusiast'! 
What  sort  of  specimen  of  that  tame  monster  do  they 
expect  to  find  in  this  man  of  prodigious  learning  and 
science  —  whose  unsullied  honor,  whose  knowledge 
of  mankind,  and  whose  varied  experience  in  life,  had 
made  him  the  companion  of  sages,  of  princes  and 
nobles,  of  statesmen  and  heroes,  and  whose  memory 
was  honored  with  exalted  eulogy,  through  the  repre- 
sentative of  the  highest  scientific  body  of  his  co:mtry  ? ' 

"  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  to  be  noticed  that  he  fell 
into  trances  in  his  youth.  On  one  occasion  he  entered 
the  presence  of  one  of  his  most  eminent  friends,  and 
announced  himself  as  trie  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  This 
circumstance  was  excused  by  his  friends  upon  the  plea 
of  temporary  aberration  resulting  from  illness  of  body  ; 
by  his  enemies,  it  was  cited  as  the  legitimate  result  of 
his  early  impressions  respecting  his  name  Emanuel, 


WHO  WAS  EMANUEL  SWEDENBORG?      215 

and  the  forceful  reaction  of  the  normal  condition  of 
his  mind. 

"  I  find  many  things  in  his  writings  such  as  no  sane 
spirit  would  conceive  of  heaven  or  earth.  I  know  it 
is  a  convenient  method  of  disposal  for  what  we  cannot 
or  do  not  wish  to  understand,  to  say  as  Festus  said 
of  St.  Paul. 

"  Besides,  is  not  the  man  mad  who  teaches  that 
truth  has  been  revealed  to  him,  after  this  manner, 
of  which  we,  and  especially  the  High  Priests  of 
our  old  faith  know  nothing?  Is  he  not  beside  himself 
who  says  that  a  state  of  heavenly  blessedness  is  se- 
cured, not  through  the  door  of  any  church  or  sacra- 
ment, but  by  conforming  the  hidden  life  to  the  love  of 
the  Lord  and  the  love  of  the  neighbor,  casting  out  of 
the  heart  regard  to  the  advancement  of  self  by  honors, 
wealth,  and  power? 

(Afterthought.)  "Every  profound  thinker  is  a  kind 
of  monomaniac,  and  every  intense  worker  in  any  given 
direction  is  his  fellow-sufferer. 

"Was  Swedenborg  a  superior  clairvoyant? 

"Those  who  deny  this,  call  attention  to  the  facts 
that  his  state  was  wholly  independent  of  the  agency 
of  others  ;  that  he  was  in  perfect  possession  of  his  con- 
sciousness during  all  his  states  of  spiritual  perception, 
and  that  he  was  also  in  the  full  enjoyment  of  his  natural 
sight.  They  cite  with  confidence  his  own  statement  of 
the  difference  between  his  condition  of  mind  and  that 
of  the  subject  of  the  state  which  has  since  been  called 
mesmeric  or  spiritual.  I  copy  this  passage  which, 
having  been  written  in  that  early  period  of  '  spiritual ' 
phenomena,  is  reckoned  somewhat  remarkable  ;  '  but 


2l6  AMONG    THE    SWEDENBORGIANS. 

they  who  believe  this,  (that  spirits  may  talk  with  man), 
and  are  willing  to  believe  it,  do  not  know  that  it  is 
connected  'with  danger  to  their  souls.  *  *  But 
as  soon  as  spirits  begin  to  speak  with  man,  they  come 
out  of  their  spiritual  state  into  the  natural  state  of 
man,  and  in  this  case  they  know  that  they  are  with 
man,  and  conjoin  themselves  with  the  thoughts  of  his 
affection,  and  from  those  thoughts  speak  with  him  ; 
they  cannot  enter  into  anything  else,  for  similar  affec- 
tion and  consequent  thought  conjoins  all,  and  dissimilar 
separates.  It  is  owing  to  this  circumstance,  that  the 
speaking  spirit  is  in  the  same  principles  with  the 
man  to  'whom  he  speaks,  whether  they  be  true  or 
false,  and  likewise  that  he  excites  them,  and  by  his 
affection,  conjoined  to  the  man's  affection,  strongly 
confirms  them :  hence  it  is  evident  that  none  other 
than  similar  spirits  speak  with  man,  or  manifestly 
operate  upon  him,  for  manifest  operation  coincides 
with  speech.'  *  *  * 

"  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  alleged  that  Swedenborg's 
revelations  were  on  a  similar  plane  with  modern  spir- 
itual manifestations  by  clairvoyance,  in  proof  of  which, 
allusion  is  made  to  his  announcement  of  the  fire  in 
Stockholm  at  the  hour  when  it  occurred,  while  he  was 
in  Gottenburg ;  of  his  telling  the  widow  the  place  of 
discovery  of  her  lost  receipt ;  and  his  conversation 
with  the  merchant  of  Elberfield. 

"Was  this  man  what  he  claimed  to  be? 

"  In  the  forty-sixth  year  of  his  age,  he  affirms  that 
his  spiritual  sight  was  opened  by  the  Lord,  so  that  he 
was  enabled  ever  after  to  see  and  converse  with  the 
spirits  of  the  other  world.  '  It  was  in  London/  are  his 


WHO    WAS    EMANUEL    SWEDENBORG  ?  21>J 

words,  '  that  a  man  appeared  to  me  in  the  midst  of  a 
strong  and  shining  light,  and  said,  "  I  am  God,  the 
Lord,  the  Creator  and  Redeemer  ;  I  have  chosen  thee 
to  explain  to  men  the  interior  and  spiritual  sense  of 
the  sacred  writings."  He  believed  that  he  was  chosen 
to  establish  a  new  dispensation  of  doctrinal  truth,  and 
'  that  all  those  passages  in  Scripture  which  are  gener- 
ally supposed  to  refer  to  the  destruction  of  the  world 
by  fire,  and  the  final  judgment,  must  be  understood 
(according  to  the  doctrine  of  correspondence)  to  mean 
the  consummation  of  the  present  Christian  Church, 
and  that  the  new  heavens  are  the  New  Church  in  its 
internal,  and  the  new  earth  the  Swedenborgian  or 
New  Jerusalem  Church  in  its  external  form. ' 

"  This  church,  he  claimed,  was  spoken  of  in  the 
Revelation  of  St.  John.  Upon  the  strength  of  this 
claim,  he  denies  the  authenticity  of  a  large  body  of 
the  Sacred  Canon,  since  its  internal  sense  was  not 
disclosed  to  him. 

"  I  cannot  admit  these  claims. 

ISRAEL  KNIGHT." 


2l8  AMONG    THE    SWEDENBORGIANS. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

CONCLUDING    CONVERSATION. 

"  I  HAVE-  now  traversed  the  whole  sea  of  Sweden- 
borgian  literature,"  said  Israel  to  his  friend  Stilwell, 
"and  my  remarkable  perseverance  at  least  deserves 
honorable  mention,  if  not  a  first-class  medal."  The 
other  eagerly  inquired  his  present  opinion  of  the 
founder  of  the  Church  of  the  New  Jerusalem. 

"  Shall  I  tell  you  just  the  few  simple  impressions  I 
bring  from  those  books?" 

"Certainly  ;  I  want  nothing  less  than  candor." 

"My  opinion  is,"  renewed  Israel,  "  that  Swedenborg 
would  come  under  the  category  of  men  whom  Mr. 
Locke  describes  in  his  '  Enthusiasm.'  The  subjective 
states  of  his  mind  passed  unconsciously  into  the  ob- 
jective. He  thought  that  he  heard  the  voices  of  the 
other  life  while  yet  he  was  talking  to  himself,  as  do 
we  ourselves,  sometimes,  on  awaking  from  a  confused 
dream.  To  be  more  special :  Emanuel  Swedenborg 
had  been  disappointed  in  love  by  death,  as  one  of  his 
biographers  avers.  It  is  bad  for  an  intense  man,  inde- 
pendent in  fortune,  to  be  disappointed  in  love.  If  he 
had  been  poor,  this  incident  would  have  made  him 
great ;  as  it  was,  it  made  him  mentally  dazed.  Wit- 
ness his  work  called  '  Conjugial  Love.'  " 


CONCLUDING    CONVERSATION.  219 

"  Think  now  of  the  excellence  of  many  of  his 
writings  which  you  may  understand,"  rejoined  Stil- 
well,  very  seriously. 

"  His  style  is  immoderately  diffuse.  The  story  of 
*  The  Locusts  '  illustrates  it." 

"  Bear  in  mind  that  Swedenborg  wrote  in  an  age 
when  men  took  time  to  think  calmly,  and  to  express 
those  thoughts  with  equal  deliberation." 

"  But  contrast  this  style  with  that  of  the  Bible ! 
Verbosity  is  never  the  attendant  of  perspicuity.  The 
strongest  and  grandest  thinkers  of  all  ages  have  been 
most  concise,  as  flavors  of  the  greatest  power  and 
rarest  value  are  also  most  highly  concentrated.  The 
Inca  Atahuallpa  of  Peru  was  more  profoundly  im- 
impressed  by  the  name  of  God  written  upon  the 
finger  nail  of  the  Spanish  soldier,  in  proof  of  his 
power,  than  if  he  had  displayed  a  volume.  The 
Inca  was  ignorant.  Likewise  are  we.  Angels  only 
can  tolerate  extension.  God  alone  dwells  in  in- 
finity. But  one  step  bridges  the  sublime  and  the  ridic- 
ulous." 

"It  is  true,"  continued  Israel  more  gravely,  "that 
with  all  the  discounting  points  in  these  works,  they 
have  a  decided  value  as  a  contribution  to  the  religious 
literature  of  the  world.  I  admit  what  you  said,  that 
these  views  have  tinged  those  of  many  a  modern 
theologian  of  other  churches." 

"Why  then  refuse  to  admit  that  Swedenborg  found- 
ed a  new  dispensation  of  Christian  truth?  He  teaches 
that  there  are  three  senses  in  the  Word  —  the  celestial, 
the  spiritual,  and  the  natural.  Before  he  wrote,  the  nat- 
ural and  the  spiritual  were  only  but  faintly  understood. 


22O  AMONG    THE    SWEDENBORGIANS. 

And    these    indeed  were  not  really  understood,  only 
seen  as  in  a  deep,  dark  shadow." 

"  There  lived  before  Emanuel  Swedenborg's  time, 
good  men  who  died  well,"  said  Israel.  "  How 
much  more  might  they  have  achieved  and  enjoyed, 
had  they  possessed  the  rational  views  of  our  faith  !  " 
continued  Stilwell.  "  And  what  they  did  achieve  and 
enjoy  was  on  a  similar  principle  or  continent  of  belief, 
though  as  yet  unconfessed  and  unknown.  How  many 
difficulties  attending  the  explanation  of  the  Christian 
religion  are  cleared  away  by  our  philosophy  !  In  the 
language  of  another :  '  This  faith  has  nothing  to  fear 
from  the  progress  of  knowledge  in  any  of  its  branches. 
The  advance  of  science  never  can  expel  the  Deity 
from  his  own  universe,  while  we  believe  that  preser- 
vation is  continual  creation.  Discoveries  in  geology 
have  no  terrors  for  us.  We  do  not  believe  that  the 
world  was  made  out  of  nothing  or  in  six  natural  days  ; 
nor  do  we  undertake  to  account  for  a  literal  flood 
which  covered  the  highest  mountains,  or  the. ark  which 
floated  upon  its  waters,  and  the  difficulties  connected 
with  it.  Modern  views  of  astronomy  —  with  which 
all  the  eloquence  of  Chalmers  cannot  reconcile  modern 
views  of  the  atonement — are  but  part  and  parcel  of 
our  faith.' " 

"  Here  appears  a  discrepancy  of  correspondence," 
said  Israel.  "  I  was  deeply  interested  in  Swedenborg's 
view  of  the  most  ancient  church  being  designated 
under  the  name  of  Adam  or  Man  ;  of  the  preservation 
of  the  doctrinals  of  faith  of  this  church  under  the  name 
of  Cain,  and  this  explanation  of  the  words  that  a 
mark  was  put  upon  him,  etc. ;  of  the  later  compilation 


CONCLUDING.  CONVERSATION.  221 

of  doctrine  under  the  name  of  Enoch,  which  being 
destined  for  posterity,  was  described  as  '  God  took 
Enoch  ; '  of  the  new  or  ancient  church  under  the  name 
of  Noah,  fragments  of  the  word  of  this"  church  being 
found  in  the  books  of  Moses,  allusions  to  which  are  in 
Numb.  21  :  14,  27  ;  but  when  I  came  down  to  the 
Divine  manifestation  in  the  person  of  the  Lord  upon 
earth,  I  was  unreconciled  according  to  his  own  laws 
of  order  and  correspondence.  In  short,  if  Adam  and 
Cain  and  Noah  were  not  real  personages,  but  repre- 
sentative names,  why  was  not  Christ?  If  the  one  had 
no  real  entity  and  historical  personal  verity,  how  could 
the  other  have  had?  I  conceive  a  great  difficulty  in 
establishing  a  dividing  line  between  the  allegorical 
and  the  real.  I  have  no  doubt  that  much  in  the  Bible 
is  allegorical ;  and  in  that  way  I  have  explained  those 
expressions  which  seem  inharmonious  with  revealed 
truth  ;  but  when  you  strike  under  this  head  so  much 
as  does  Swedenborg,  an  insurmountable  difficulty 
arises  to  my  view." 

"You  will  bear  in  mind,"  said  Stilwell,  "that  our 
view  of  the  trinity  as  explained  heretofore,  is  not  like 
that  of  the  churches  who  nominally  accept  this  doc- 
trine. We  claim  a  far  stronger  correspondence  here 
to  the  Invisible  or  Celestial  sense  in  the  natural  letter 
of  the  Word  than  anywhere  else." 

"  But  will  you  say  whether  such  a  being  as  Jesus 
Christ,  Man  or  God,  or  both,  ever  existed  on  the  earth 
according  to  the  version  of  the  Gospels  of  Matthew, 
Mark,  Luke,  and  John  ?  "  inquired  Israel. 

"  Certainly ;  we  believe  the  Gospels,  though  we 
explain  them  by  divine  correspondence  rather  than  by 


222  AMONG    THE    SWEDENBORGIANS. 

mere  externals  or  the  natural  sense.  The  three  senses 
are  requisite,  and  neither  alone." 

"  If  there  were  such  a  being  as  Christ,  who  once 
lived  on  the  earth,  you  know  it  by  testimony  and  not 
by  external  sight  or  any  internal  sense.  Then  by  the 
same  reason,  why  may  we  not  believe  that  there 
really  were  such  men  as  Adam,  Enoch,  and  Noah?" 

"  Because  there  are  accompanying  difficulties  in  the 
way  of  believing  the  letter  of  this  history,  which  can- 
not be  explained  by  any  other  doctrine  than  that  of 
correspondence  according  to  the  internal  sense  of  the 
Word." 

"I  do  not  entirely  concede  that,"  replied  Israel. 
"Your  doctrine  of  correspondence  has  more  worth  as 
a  natural  curiosity,  than  as  a  spiritual  verity.  I  accept 
it  as  a  servant  to  truth,  but  not  as  its  master.  To  me, 
it  is  always  deeply  interesting  to  study  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures with  reference  to  the  inner  and  spiritual  sense,  as 
also  to  study  the  uninspired  scriptures  of  the  earth, 
and  the  nature  and  appearances  of  men  with  the  aid 
of  the  doctrine  of  correspondence  ;  indeed,  I  have  a 
strong  passion  for  the  comparison  of  the  visible  with 
the  invisible,  the  exterior  with  the  interior,  and  the 
body  with  the  immortal  principle  which  animates  it; 
but  this  doctrine  makes  no  laws  for  me  which  conflict 
with  my  freedom  of  understanding  and  continued 
scope  of  investigation.  I  will  have  no  insuperable 
barriers  to  thought.  No  despot,  with  drawn  sword  of 
written  dicta,  shall  stand  at  the  gate  of  my  investiga- 
tion of  truth.  But  mark  you,  my  truth  is  complete  in 
itself.  It  is  just  as  good  at  the  beginning  as  at  the  end. 
This  is  my  dictator,  master,  and  friend.  I  seek  it, 


CONCLUDING    CONVERSATION.  223 

often  blindly,  always,  I  trust,  reverently.  Do  you  ask 
its  name?  It  is  not  divine  correspondencenorspiritual 
influx  ;  it  is  not  progress  nor  emancipation.  These 
all,  I  esteem  and  reckon  good  helps.  But  they  shall 
keep  their  places  by  my  side,  and  not  in  the  van. 

"  It  is  God  —  revealed  to  me  sufficient  for  all  the 
designs  of  my  existence  here  and  hereafter,  in  His 
Word  ;  and  I  accept  these  words :  '  All  Scripture  is 
given  by  inspiration  of  God,  and  is  profitable  for 
doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for  instruction  in 
righteousness.' " 

"  So  also  do  I,"  answered  his  friend  ;  "  but  this  does 
not  prevent  me  from  accepting  Swedenborg's  expla- 
nation of  such  portions  of  the  Scripture  as  he  has 
attempted  to  unfold.  There  is  no  doubt  but  that  the 
apostles,  who  frequently  refer  to  the  Old  Testament  in 
their  writings,  regarded  many  portions  as  allegorical  or 
written  by  divine  correspondence,"  answered  Stilwell. 

"What  proof  have  you  of  this?"  continued 
Israel. 

"  If  you  turn  to  the  Epistle  to  the  Galatians,  4  :  22, 
23,  24,  25,  you  will  find  these  words  :  '  For  it  is  writ- 
ten that  Abraham  had  two  sons ;  the  one  by  a  bond- 
maid, the  other  by  a  freewoman.  But  he  who  was 
of  the  bondwoman  was  born  after  the  flesh  ;  but  he  of 
the  freewoman  was  by  promise.  Which  things  are 
an  allegory :  for  these  are  the  two  covenants  ;  the  one 
from  Mount  Sinai,  which  gendereth  to  bondage,  which 
is  Agar.  For  this  Agar  is  Mount  Sinai  in  Arabia, 
and  answereth  to  Jerusalem  which  now  is,  and  is  in 
bondage  with  her  children.  But  Jerusalem  which  is 
above  is  free,  which  is  the  mother  of  us  all.' " 


224  AMONG   THE    SWEDENBORGIANS. 

"  Are  those  the  words  in  our  version?  "  now  asked 
Israel  in  surprise. 

"  Certainly  ;  you  see  that  I  have  your  Bible  in  my 
hand.  Read  for  yourself." 

Israel  took  the  book  and  read. 

"I  never  noticed  that  passage  before  in  this  light," 
he  said. 

At  this  moment  they  were  interrupted  by  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  gentleman,  a  friend  to  both  parties,  who 
said  in  a  loud  voice  :  — 

"  Allegories  !  I  have  been  listening  to  some  of  your 
conversation,  and  I  think  the  finest  allegory  for  the 
present  point,  is  found  in  Virgil :  '  Claudite  jam  rivos, 
pueri;  sat  prata  biberunt.'  Although  you  are  both 
learned  'veal,'  I  must  give  a  translation,  lest  you 
escape  the  force  thereof.  Hear !  '  Dam  the  rivers, 
boys  ;  the  meadows  have  drank  enough.'  " 

"  Of  what  use  is  so  much  talk  about  Abraham  and 
his  women-folk  and  all  the  rest  of  it,  in  the  New 
Jerusalem  light?  I  went  to  that  church,  once,  and  I 
came  away  swimming  like  a  mote  in  the  beams  of  the 
sun.  I  could  think  of  nothing  but  heat  and  light, 
light  and  heat,  love  and  wisdom,  wisdom  and  love, 
the  Lord  and  the  sun,  the  sun  and  the  Lord,  all  of 
which  was  of  inconceivable  good  to  me !  " 

"Nevertheless,"  said  Israel,  laughing  quietly,  "this 
doctrine  as  explained  to  me  by  my  friend  Stilwell,  has 
done  me  more  good  than  I  can  suitably  acknowledge. 
Never  again  shall  I  regard  death  as  before.  A  new 
light  has  been  shed  upon  that  else  dark  and  appalling 
scene.  The  friend,  whose  body  we  have  lately  fol- 
lowed to  the  tomb,  is  not  dead,  but  ushered  into  a  life 


CONCLUDING   CONVERSATION.  225 

a  thousand  times  more  real  than  ours,  —  while  yet  he 
is  cognizant  of  what  we  say  and  do  !  " 

"  I  could  have  told  you  that  without  the  aid  of 
Emanuel  Swedenborg,"  rejoined  the  other ;  "  only 
last  evening  I  talked  with  him  for  a  couple  of  hours. 
By  the  way,  he  desired  to  be  remembered  to  you." 

Both  young  men  regarded  the  speaker  for  a  moment, 
as  though  they  questioned  his  sanity. 

"  Nothing  remarkable  in  that,  is*  there,"  he  con- 
tinued, "  when  there  is  a  '  medium  '  in  the  next  street. 
You  have  heard  of  the  celebrated  Mrs.  Kennett?  " 

"What!"  exclaimed  Israel,  "  is  she  in  town?" 

"  Yes  ;  and  I  was  at  one  of  her  sittings,  last  night." 

"  I  should  like  to  see  her,"  said  Israel. 

"  Certainly,  that  is  reasonable.  She  has  forgotten 
more  than  Swedenborg  ever  knew.  She  says  she  has 
spoken  with  him  several  times,  and  he  always  tells 
her  that  he  was  wrong  in  some  respects  when  he  wrote 
his  books  on  earth.  In  short,  Emanuel  Swedenborg 
is  played  out." 

Stilwell  looked  disgusted,  but  was  silent;  Israel  was 
thoroughly  curious. 

"  You  shall  go  with  me  to  listen  to  Mrs.  Kennett, 
and  you  will  soon  be  a  Spiritualist,"  concluded  the 
gentleman. 


AMONG    THE    SPIRITUALISTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

A    SITTING   WITH    A    SPIRITUAL    MEDIUM. 

ISRAEL,  with  his  friend  Thomaston  sitting  a  little 
apart,  was  placed  in  a  position  just  before  the  medium. 
She  rubbed  her  eyes,  dropped  her  head,  on  which  she 
made  passes,  and  giving  one  or  two  long  breaths,  all 
was  ready.  The  chasm  between  earth  and  the  invis- 
ible world  was  bridged. 

"I  see,"  she  began  in  a  low,  disjointed,  but  yet  con- 
fident voice,  "  some  one  standing  just  behind  you  who 
is  out  of  the  form,  I  think.  Yes,  she  is  out  of  the 
form.  By  that,  I  mean,  she  is  what  we  call  dead. 
She  is  of  medium  height,  is  slight  in  figure,  and  grace- 
ful in  her  movements.  I  think  she  must  have  died  of 
consumption.  Her  face  is  thin,  and  wears  a  hectic 
flush.  Her  eyes  are  sunken,  but  very  bright ;  they  are 
of  a  dark  hazel  color.  Her  hair  is  also  dark,  and  is 
put  back  from  her  brow  in  two  or  three  long  curls. 
She  must  have  been  beautiful  when  in  health.  She 
has  a  small  scar  upon  her  right  temple.  She  wears  a 
black  dress,  and  appears  to  be  in  mourning.  They 
come  to  us  as  they  looked  in  life,  that  we  may  identify 
them.  Do  you  know  who  this  person  can  he  ?  " 

"  No,"  answered  Israel,  with  a  slightly  unsteady 
tone.  The  assertion  that  one  who  was  dead  stood  just 

227 


228  AMONG    THE    SPIRITUALISTS. 

behind  them,  with  a  hand  on  his  head,  made  him 
rather  uncomfortable. 

"  I  should  think,"  said  the  medium,  "that  she  was 
about  twenty-seven  or  thirty  years  old  when  she 
died." 

She  paused  now,  her  eyes  remaining  closed  ;  and 
after  a  few  minutes,  resumed  by  saying,  "  she  tells  me 
you  are  her  son.  She  must  be  your  mother  !  Is  your 
mother  out  of  the  form  ?  " 

"My  mother  is  dead,"  answered  Israel,  with  in- 
creasing awe. 

"  She  says,  'My  dear  boy,  how  glad  I  am  that  you 
have  come  to  talk  with  me.  For  this  privilege  I  have 
waited  long  and  prayerfully.  I  am  almost  always 
near  you,  though  you  do  not  know  it.' 

"  Another  person  out  of  the  form  appears  now  at 
her  side.  It  is  a  man  who  was  considerably  older 
than  your  mother  when  he  died.  He  was  rather  full 
in  figure.  He  breathes  with  difficulty,  and  he  often 
lays  his  hand  on  his  heart.  This  is  to  show  that  some 
disease  connected  with  his  heart  was  the  occasion  of 
his  death.  He  has  very  light  hair,  a  blue  eye,  but 
penetrating  and  dark  in  its  expression,  and  a  Roman 
nose.  His  mouth  is  wide,  firm,  but  pleasant,  and  his 
whole  appearance  is  of  a  man  of  superior  culture.  I 
think  he  was  highly  educated.  By  the  books  and 
papers  which  I  see  about  him,  I  should  judge  he 
belonged  to  one  of  the  professions  —  the  Law,  I  think. 
Can  you  tell  who  this  person  is?" 

"  If  my  mother  is  here,  ask  her,"  said  Israel. 

After  a  brief  silence,  she  said  :  "  Your  mother  tells 
me  it  is  your  father.  Are  your  parents  both  dead?  " 


A    SITTING    WITH    A    SPIRITUAL    MEDIUM.          229 

Israel  admitted  the  fact  rather  reluctantly.  "But 
my  father  was  not  a  lawyer,"  he  added. 

"  Perhaps  he  was  a  physician,  though  I  see  no 
special  signs  of  that  profession.  No,  I  think  now  he 
was  a  clergyman.  He  appears  to  be  reading  a  book 
which  I  think  is  in  some  foreign  language,  and  I  see 
something  there  which  looks  like  a  written  sermon. 
But  if  he  was  a  clergyman,  he  did  not  preach  as  much 
as  he  —  he  did  something  else  —  I  cannot  quite  make 
it  out.  Let  me  examine  further.  He  wrote  books,  I 
think.  Was  it  so?" 

"  If  he  preached,"  said  Israel  evasively,  "  he  would 
write  manuscripts." 

"  But  I  think  they  were  more  than  sermons,"  she 
persisted  ;  "they  look  larger  ;  and  then  —  I  see — them 
afterwards  like  books.  Will  you  please  to  tell  me  if  I 
am  all  wrong?  " 

"  Go  on,"  said  Israel  smiling. 

"  But  it  is  better  to  be  frank  with  me,"  said  the 
medium,  appearing  troubled. 

"All  right,  Mrs.  Kennett/'  now  interrupted  Thom- 
aston.  "  Pray  go  on,  and  not  mind  his  scepticism." 

"  Your  father  now  speaks,"  said  the  medium,  "  and 
his  voice  is  a  little  peculiar.  There  is  a  slight  imped- 
iment, I  should  think.  He  says  this  was  the  reason 
why  he  wrote  more  and  spoke  less  in  public.  But  I 
think  he  had  a  great  influence  over  others  while  he 
lived  —  and  —  through  his  books,  his  influence  con- 
tinues." 

"What  is  his  message  to  me?"  asked  Israel. 

"  He  says  —  '  my  dear  son,  you  have  been  searching 
a  long  time.  You  are  in  a  state  of — indecision  about 


230  AMONG    THE    SPIRITUALISTS. 

—  what  is  it?  I  cannot  yet  understand  —  a  church  — 
religion  —  some  such  thing  as  that,  I  believe.'  " 

"  Does  he  say  that?  "  asked  Israel,  in  a  surprise  which 
he  could  not  conceal. 

"  Yes.  And  he  says  that  you  are  very  dear  to  his 
heart.  Your  mother  says  that,  too.  She  looks  very 
happy.  I  think  she  was  a  very  sweet  person  when  in 
the  form." 

"  But  about  what  I  am  searching  for,"  said  Israel ; 
"  can  he  assist  me?  I  should  be  intensely  glad  to  have 
him  tell  me  what  is  right  for  me  to  do?" 

"  He  says  he  can  and  does  assist  you.  He  has 
always  helped  you." 

"  Will  he  tell  me  where  I  am  to  go  for  peace?  " 

"  He  answers,  '  God  is  a  spirit,  and  they  that  wor- 
ship Him  must  worship  Him  in  spirit  and  in  truth.' " 

"  But  how  does  that  apply  to  me  ?  " 

"  He  says,  by  the  spirit  operating  upon  your  spirit. 
Every  effect  has  its  cause  —  many  causes  sometimes. 
You  have  to  go  through  what  you  are  now  going 
through,  in  order  to  arrive  at  the  result." 

Israel.     "  What  will  be  the  result? " 

Medium.  "You  will  come  to  a  more  settled  and 
peaceful  state  of  mind.  You  will  be  happier  than  ever 
before.  You  will  see  things  in  a  truer  light,  and  your 
soul  will  expand  under  the  influence  of  an  enlarged 
sphere  of  truths." 

/.  "  Will  he  please  to  be  more  definite.  What 
church  had  I  better  join  ?  " 

M.  "  He  says  it  is  not  permitted  him  to  tell  you. 
Whatever  is  for  your  good,  he  will  freely  impart ;  but 
there  are  things  which  they  must  not  divulge  to  those 


A    SITTING    WITH    A    SPIRITUAL    MEDIUM.          23! 

who  are  in  the  form,  however  much  they  are  desired 
to  do  so  by  their  beloved  ones.  He  adds,  '  I  am  no 
bigot,  nor  never  was  when  in  the  form.'  Other  spirits 
now  appear.  I  see  a  child  about  you  —  a  little  girl 
with  fair  hair  like  your  father's,  but  eyes  like  your 
mother's.  •  Had  you  a  sister?" 

7.     "  No." 

M.  "  Perhaps  it  is  one  who  is  yet  to  come  into  the 
form.  Or,  it  may  be  one  of  the  children  of  some  of 
your  friends.  I  think  you  are  very  fond  of  children." 

Another  pause. 

M.  "Your  mother  says  the  child  was  one  you 
knew  where  you  boarded,  when  you  was  at  school. 
You  made  a  great  pet  of  her,  and  she  loved  you  very 
dearly.  She  died  suddenly  of  croup  or  some  difficulty 
of  the  throat." 

/.     "There  was  such  a  child.     Ask  her  name." 

M.     "I  hear,  Kitty,  Katie,  and  Caddie." 

/.  (Much  moved.)  "  Yes,  I  called  her  Kitty. 
Others  called  her  the  other  names.  What  does  she 
do  now?" 

M.  "She  says,  'I  play  now,  but  it  is  all  more 
beautiful.'  She  says,  '  I  also  learn  heavenly  things. 
I  am  with  my  aunt,  who  died  the  year  before  I  did. 
I  am  very  happy.  I  have  so  much  that  is  lovely  !  I 
visit  my  dear  mamma  and  papa  very  often.' " 

/.  "  Truly  there  must  be  something  in  this.  You 
have  given  me  so  many  tests,  I  begin  to  believe  that 
my  parents  are  here." 

M.  "  Your  mother  says,  '  Believe,  my  dear  son.' 
She  lays  her  hand  again  on  your  head,  and  she  weeps 
—  weeps  tears  of  joy." 


232  AMONG    THE    SPIRITUALISTS. 

/.  (In  tears.)  "Mother!  dearest  mother!  if  you 
are  really  here,  give  me  some  strong  test." 

Another  pause. 

M.  "  Sometime  ago  you  went  to  a  place  where  all 
the  people  sat  very  still.  No  one  spoke  a  word.  It 
was  on  a  Sunday.  I  think  it  was  a  meeting  of  some 
kind.  You  saw  a  young  girl  over  across  from  where 
you  sat." 

7.  (Starting.)  "  Possible  !  that  she  tells  you  this  ! 
Some  one  must  have  informed  you." 

M.  "  You  forget,  sir,  that  I  never  saw  nor  heard 
of  you,  before  this  evening." 

I.  "  What  of  this  young  girl  ?  Go  on.  I  am  eager 
to  hear." 

M.  "  She  wore  a  very  plain  bonnet  and  shawl. 
She  was  pretty  and  intelligent  looking.  I  think  she  is 
your  kindred  spirit." 

I.  "  My  kindred  spirit !  Ask  my  mother  what  she 
means  ?  " 

M.  "  She  says  you  will  marry  sometime  —  rather 
soon,  I  think." 

I.     "  Indeed  !  how  soon?  " 

M.  "  Time  is  nothing  in  the  other  life.  I  cannot 
tell  you.  Sometimes  they  mean  quite  soon,  as  we 
understand  it ;  again  they  do  not.  Their  ideas  of  time 
are  different  from  ours." 

/.     "  Am  I  to  marry  that  girl?  " 

M.  "  She  replies  that  all  are  free.  There  is  no 
rigid  and  immutable  law  of  control.  Yet  there  is  a 
way  which  one  cannot  escape.  It  is  not  to  be  ex- 
plained." 

/.  "But  will  she  answer  me,  directly,  the  ques- 
tion?" 


A    SITTING   WITH   A    SPIRITUAL    MEDIUM.         233 

M.  "  I  will  see,  and  tell  you  all  I  am  permitted  to. 
Perhaps  she  will  tell  me,  and  perhaps  not.  They  tell 
only  what  is  for  our  good  to  know.  (After  a  pause.) 
She  says,  '  I  think  that  you  will  take  her  for  your  wife. 
I  think  she  is  the  complement  of  your  being.'  " 

/.  "Does  she  advise  me  to  do  this?  Is  the  lady 
one  whom  she  would  have  loved  if  she  had  lived?" 

M.  "  She  says  '  No  one  is  perfect.  You  must  not 
look  for  perfection,  my  son.'  These  are  her  words. 
But  be  thankful  that  your  lot  is  as  good  as  it  is." 

I.     "Will  she  tell  me  her  name?" 

M.  "  I  hear  the  name  of  Mary,  also  Charlotte. 
But  Mary  I  hear  most.  Perhaps  it  is  Mary  Charlotte." 

I.     "Ask  if  she  is  interested  in  me." 

M.  "She  says  that  she  is.  She  thinks  of  you 
much  of  the  time,  and  has  even  taken  pains  to  find 
you  out." 

/.  "  How  shall  I  proceed  to  make  her  acquaint- 
ance ?  " 

M.  "  She  says  'I  cannot  tell  you  now.  There  will 
be  a  way.'  We  see  results  without  understanding  all 
the  connection.  But  another  spirit  has  now  come. 
He  seems  anxious  to  speak  to  you." 

7.     "What  is  he  like?" 

M.  "  He  is  tall,  very  grave-looking,  and  is  black 
on  one  side  of  his  face,  as  if  he  had  been  bruised 
severely." 

Both  Thomaston  and  Israel  started.  They  recalled 
their  friend  who  had  died  under  the  same  roof,  some 
time  before,  and  with  whom  Thomaston  said  he  had 
conversed  a  few  evenings  since. 

/.     "  Ask  his  name,  if  you  please." 


234  AMONG    THE    SPIRITUALISTS. 

M.  "  He  says  you  know  who  he  is.  He  calls  him- 
self an  'old  friend  who  sat  around  the  same  board  some 
time  before  he  passed  out  of  the  body.  He  is  very 
glad  to  have  a  chance  to  talk  with  you." 

/.     "  Ask  him  if  he  is  happy." 

M.  "  He  says,  '  I  am  happier  than  I  was  on  earth, 
but  not  so  happy  as  I  shall  be  when  I  have  progressed 
to  a  higher  group.'  " 

/.  Does  he  believe,  on  religious  subjects,  as  he  did 
when  on  earth  ?  " 

M.  "  Not  altogether.  He  was  much  deceived  here 
about  some  things." 

/.  "  May  I  ask  what  are  those  tilings  to  which  he 
refers  ?  " 

M.  "  He  says  you  will  remember  that  he  had  a 
great  reverence  for  the  Bible  ;  the  same  as  you,  your- 
self, now  have." 

/.  (Much  startled.)  "Well;  has  he  not  a  rever- 
ence for  the  Bible  now  ?  " 

M.  "  He  has  now  a  reverence  for  all  good  books. 
Not  one  is  free  from  erroneous  views.  Not  one  is 
absolute  and  infallible  as  a  standard  of  perfect  thought." 

7.  "  What !  not  the  Word  of  God,  the  Holy  Scrip- 
ture, written  by  inspiration  !  " 

M.  "That,  he  says,  is  by  no  means  perfect.  It 
was  written  by  men  no  more  inspired  than  Confucius, 
or  Seneca,  or  Thomas  Paine.  Your  blind  adoration 
for  the  Bible  —  these  are  his  words  —  leads  you  into 
many  false  ideas  and  devious  paths.  It  makes  you 
unhappy  when  you  ought  to  rejoice  in  the  God  who 
has  made  the  beautiful  world  and  all  things  therein. 
I  should  think  by  his  manner  that  he  was  very  positive  in 


A    SITTING    WITH    A    SPIRITUAL    MEDIUM.          235 

his  opinions  when  in  the  form.  He  gesticulates  pecu- 
liarly, extending  his  forefinger,  and  then  striking  the 
other  hand,  ending  with  a  motion  like  this."  (She 
imitates  him,  and  Thomaston  and  Israel  both  smile  as 
they  identify  the  peculiarity  of  their  old  friend.) 

/.  "I  am  much  surprised  at  this.  Will  he  speak 
to  me  further  respecting  his  views  of  religious  truth? 
I  am  anxious  to  know  what  is  the  true  doctrine." 

M.  "  Yes,  he  says  you  are ;  he  says,  look  into 
your  own  heart  and  the  great,  beautiful  book  of 
Nature.  Talk,  also,  with  those  who  have  progressed 
in  a  knowledge  of  true  Spiritual  philosophy.  Fre- 
quent Spiritual  circles.  Deliver  your  mind  from  the 
iron  shackles  —  of —  of  old  prejudices.  You  will  then 
see  clearer,  know  more  perfectly,  and  enjoy  much." 

Not  long  after  this,  the  medium  announced,  —  "  The 
state  is  passing  off  me.  You  must  hasten,  if  you  have 
more  to  say  this  evening.  The  spirits  are  going  to 
leave  me." 

/.  "  My  dear  father  and  mother !  What  shall  I 
do  to  please  you  most?" 

M.  "  They  both  place  their  hands  upon  your  head, 
and  they  engage  in  prayer.  Now  they  both  stoop 
over  you,  and  imprint  a  kiss  on  your  brow.  They 
say,  » Dear  son !  come  often  and  talk  with  us.  Live 
up  to  the  higher  life.  Be  hopeful.  Be  happy.  We 
are  ever  near  you.  We  often  elevate  your  spirit 
when  you  are  depressed.  We  smooth  your  pillow  by 
night,  and  waken  you  in  the  morning.  Never  feel 
that  you  are  alone.  Good  night.'  They  move  away. 
I  am  going  to  come  out  of  it." 

The  medium  now  rubbed  her  eyes,  gave  a  few  deep 


2^  AMONG    THE    SPIRITUALISTS. 

sighs,  and  a  slight  start,  then  slowly  opened  her  eyes 
as  if  waking-  up  from  sleep,  and  looking  vaguely  at 
Israel,  asked :  "Have  you  had  a  pleasant  sitting?" 

"  I  have,  madam,  thanks  to  your  skill,"  answered 
Israel,  while  he  threw  down  twice  the  customary  fee 
upon  her  table. 

"I  hope  to  see  you  again  —  thank  you,"  she  said,  in 
a  very  low  voice. 

"  We  shall  be  sure  to  come,"  said  Thomaston. 


MORE   ADVICE.  237 


CHAPTE  R  II. 

MORE    ADVICE. 

"!T  is  very  strange,"  said  Israel  to  his  friend  Thom- 
aston,  on  their  departure  from  the  medium,  "very 
strange  indeed.  All  she  told  of  my  father  and  mother, 
so  far  as  I  know,  was  perfectly  true.  I  have  often 
looked  at  the  small  scar  on  my  mother's  forehead 
in  her  picture  ;  and  as  she  buried  her  father  a  few 
months  before  her  death,  undoubtedly  she  dressed  in 
mourning." 

"  It  was  also  true  about  our  friend  who  has  lately 
died,"  said  Thomaston.  "They  do  tell  many  remark- 
able things.  How  can  you  help  believing?  " 

"  I  do  not  know,"  answered  Israel,  thoughtfully. 

"  If  you  require  further  investigation,"  said  Thom- 
aston, "  I  have  books  and  papers  which  I  will  lend 
you." 

"  I  shall  be  glad  to  read  them,"  Israel  replied. 

The  following  day,  Thomaston  brought  Israel  sev- 
eral copies  of  a  noted  Spiritual  newspaper,  which 
Israel  examined  with  great  interest  and  with  much 
care.  He  came  to  the  following  conclusions,  viz : 

"  That  the  aim  of  Spiritualism  is  to  destroy  all  respect 
for  the  Bible,  or,  that  no  more  should  be  held  for  it 
than  would  be  for  any  other  book  of  its  age,  and 


238  AMONG    THE    SPIRITUALISTS. 

less  than  should  be  for  the  writings  of  '  Apostles  of 
Liberty.' 

"To  annihilate  the  divine  mission  of  Jesus  Christ, 
and  rank  him  below  any  other  prominent  man  who 
has  influenced  the  minds  of  men  for  good. 

"  To  pull  down  all  the  religious  faith  of  evangelical 
Christendom,  and  on  its  ruins  erect  a  temple  of  Spirit- 
ualism which  shall  reach  the  heavens,  and  by  which 
men  may  constantly  unveil  mysteries  of  far  more  value 
to  mankind  than  the  most  sacred  annunciations  of 
God's  revealed  Word." 

The  arguments  were  nothing  more  nor  less  than 
what  he  had  read  in  the  books  of  all  the  celebrated 
infidel  writers.  They  were  old  acquaintances  in  new 
dress.  They  neither  astonished  nor  angered  him  ;  for 
his  astonishment  and  anger  had  both  spent  themselves 
long  ago  over  the  pages  which  he  had  read.  Mean- 
time he  constantly  prayed  to  God  for  wisdom  and 
right  discernment.  He  was  greatly  strengthened  when 
he  read  such  words  as  these,  found  in  2  Thess.  Chap.  2  : 
"  That  ye  be  not  soon  shaken  in  mind,  or  be  troubled, 
neither  by  spirit  nor  by  word,  nor  by  letter  as  from 
us,  as  that  the  day  of  Christ  is  at  hand.  Let  no 
man  deceive  you  by  any  means :  for  that  day  shall 
not  come,  except  there  come  a  falling  away  first,  and 
that  man  of  sin  be  revealed,  the  son  of  perdition  ;  who 
opposeth  and  exalteth  himself  above  all  that  is  called 
God,  or  that  is  worshipped  ;  so  that  he,  as  God  sitteth 
in  the  temple  of  God,  shewing  himself  that  he  is  God. 
*  *  *  For  the  mystery  of  iniquity  doth  already 
work :  only  he  who  now  letteth  will  let,  until  he  be 
taken  out  of  the  way.  And  then  shall  that  wicked  be 


MORE    ADVICE.  239 

revealed,  whom  the  Lord  shall  consume  with  the  spirit 
of  his  mouth,  and  shall  destroy  with  the  brightness  of 
his  coming.  Even  him,  whose  coming  is  after  the 
working  of  Satan,  with  all  power,  and  signs,  and 
lying  wonders,  etc.  *  *  And  for  this  cause  God 
shall  send  them  strong  delusion,  that  they  should 
believe  a  lie." 

As  was  his  habit,  he  wrote  to  him  who  had  been 
his  guardian,  (for  Israel  had  now  more  than  attained 
his  majority,)  and  received  this  reply  :  — 

"  MY  DEAR  OLD  FELLOW  : 

"  Be  assured  that  Spiritualism,  so  called,  is  nothing 
new.  It  had  not  its  date  with  the  Fox  girls  of 
Rochester.  It  astonishes  the  ignorant  who  have  not 
read  the  history  of  the  world,  but  disturbs  not  one  jot 
nor  one  tittle  the  equanimity  of  those  who  are  in  any 
wise  posted  in  the  affairs  of  Satan's  kingdom.  The 
same  old  adversary  who  told  our  grandparents  in 
Eden,  '  Ye  shall  not  surely  die.  What !  will  you  make 
fools  of  yourselves  in  minding  the  law  of  God,  when 
by  breaking  it  ye  can  become  as  gods,  knowing  good 
and  evil,  without  any  help  from  your  Creator  ! '  is,  and 
has  ever  been,  busy  at  his  tricks  in  beguiling  unstable 
souls. 

"In  all  ages  of  the  world  there  is  a  record  of  the 
devil's  mission.  He  succeeds  often,  but  his  work  does 
not  stand  through  the  years  and  cycles.  His  track  is 
sin,  which  covers  remorse,  desolation,  and  broken 
idols.  These  ruins  are  'ivied  o'er'  with  the  attractive 
rhetoric  of  flowers,  purling  streams,  diamonds,  and 
whispering  leaves." 


240  AMONG    THE    SPIRITUALISTS. 

(Israel  here  remembered  having  read  in  one  of  the 
spiritual  newspapers  this  sentence :  "  Therefore  it 
[the  Bible]  is  to  us  no  authority  and  no  absolute  guide 
in  matters  of  faith  or  practice.  Reason  is  the  soul's 
guiding  star,  and  nature  the  soul's  commentary.  O, 
nature,  accept  us  as  thy  disciple  !  We  love  thy  inspi- 
ration, thy  freedom,  thy  flowers,  thy  fruits,  those  voice- 
less orbs  that  look  down  so  calmly  in  the  night  time  ; 
those  rich,  roseate  sunsets,  suggesting  visions  of  magic 
lands  and  spirit-homes  floating  in  space,  all  radiant 
with  crimson  and  purple  and  gold,  and  those  still 
summer  nights,  too,  when  the  heavens  kiss  the  oceans, 
and  dancing  fire-flies  illume  woods  and  fields,  en- 
zoning  the  earth,  as  it  were,  in  a  mantle  of  stars.  O, 
nature,  we  are  thine  ;  thou  art  ours  forever  !  "  ) 

"  Beautiful  nature  !  Glorious  nature  !  is  the  harp, 
on  which  he  causes  his  votaries  to  play  tunes  of  adora- 
tion to  himself.  Beautiful  human  nature  is  the  organ- 
swell  of  the  great  diatessaron  of  infernal  harmonies ! 
Anything,  everything  to  break  down  Christian  faith 
and  pull  up  the  old  land-marks  of  Christianity.  Ac- 
cording to  prophecy,  many,  even  choice  Christians,  will 
be  deceived  and  led  away  into  the  mazes  of  error  and 
sin.  There  will  be  just  so  much  done  in  the  world. 
But  remember,  Israel,  you  are  free  —  free  to  choose 
or  refuse.  Remember  that  he  that  endureth  to  the 
end  has  the  promise  of  salvation.  '  To  him  that  over- 
cometh  will  I  give  a  white  stone,  and  in  that  stone  a 
new  name  which  no  man  knoweth  save  him  that 
receiveth  it.' 

"  The  magicians  of  Egypt  imitated  Moses  very  cleverly 
in  his  miracles,  but  there  were  some  things  which 


MORE    ADVICE.  241 

they  could  not  do.  The  magic  Spiritualists  imitate 
Christ  and  the  Apostles,  but  there  are  things  which 
they  cannot  do.  Of  these,  they  cannot  raise  the  dead 
body,  nor  lay  the  devil  that  is  in  a  man,  both  by  nature 
and  practice.  Man,  being  made  out  of  the  breath  of 
God,  has  a  great  many  good  things  in  him,  both  by 
heirdom  and  education  ;  but  all  these  goods  require 
evoking  by  a  spirit  as  far  above  these  cabalistic  jug- 
glers as  the  heavens  are  above  the  earth.  Satan  being 
a  rebel  angel,  knows  how  to  put  on  the  garments  of 
light,  and  act  almost  to  perfection.  He  does  it  in  all 
manner  of  ways.  It  would  take  more  books  than  all 
living  men  could  write  to  describe  the  half  of  his 
works.  No  sentient  being  is  free  from  his  influence, 
through  his  myriad  emissaries.  But  we  are  also  free 
to  choose  the  influence  of  our  good  angel.  Resist  the 
devil  and  he  will  flee  from  you.  Avoid  these  '  teachers 
with  itching  ears,'  of  whom  Paul  wrote  —  '  And  they 
shall  turn  away  their  ears  from  the  truth,  and  shall  be 
turned  unto  fables.' 

"However,  I  do  not  censure  your  spirit  of  investiga- 
tion. It  is  natural  that  you  should  have  a  curiosity  to 
open  Pandora's  box.  Be  not  alarmed.  This  thing 
will  waste  and  wear  itself  out  in  due  time.  The  more 
it  is  opposed,  the  better  will  it  thrive.  People  who 
go  to  them  for  bread  and  get  a  stone  of  falsehood, 
will  amuse  themselves  a  little  while  by  makinga' stone- 
broth  ;'  but  the  dish  will  not  digest.  The  stone  does 
not  become  bread.  The  lie  does  not  prove  true.  The 
shadows  of  future  events  vanish  in  the  dust.  The 
false  gods  do  not  save  in  sickness,  calamity,  and 
death. 

16 


242  AMONG    THE    SPIRITUALISTS. 

"  Finally,  my  young  brother,  be  steadfast,  immovable, 
always  abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord,  forasmuch 
as  your  labor  is  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord. 
Yours,  faithfully, 

EPHRAIM  STEARNS." 


TALK    WITH    A    SPIRITUALIST.  243 


CHAPTER    III. 

TALK   WITH    A    SPIRITUALIST. 

ISRAEL  showed  the  letter  of  his  former  guardian  to 
Thomaston,  who  read  it  with  a  look  which  signified 
half  compassion,  half  contempt. 

"  The  old  gentleman,"  said  he,  indifferently,  "  has 
not  kept  pace  with  the  progress  of  the  enlightened 
world.  The  sense  he  has  is  not  ventilated  in  God's 
free  air.  His  ideas  of  the  devil  are  worthy  of  the 
Salem  witchcraft.  They  make  me  think  of  the  girl 
in  France  whose  case  is  detailed  by  Dr.  Picknell. 
She,  by  an  old  woman's  advice,  drank  water  saturated 
with  the  earth  of  two  priests'  graves,  believing  thereby 
to  insure  to  herself  a  great  spiritual  reward.  She  got 
only  the  larva?  of  beetles,  and  twelve  days  after,  a  green 
insect  flew  out  of  her  mouth." 

"You  talk  like  a  man  of  charity,  a  many-sided 
mind,  delivered  from  the  self-hood  or  the  Ichheit,  as 
the  Germans  call  it,"  said  Israel. 

"  But  I  cannot-help  commiserating  such  ignorance," 
responded  Thomaston,  "whether  it  appears  in  an  old 
man  or  a  young  girl." 

"This  man  whom  you  despise,"  said  Israel,  "has 
the  works  of  all  the  German  and  French  rationalists, 
the  English  infidels,  and  the  American  transcenden- 


244  AMONG    THE    SPIRITUALISTS. 

talists  in  his  library.  He  is  as  familiar  with  them  as 
with  —  I  was  about  to  say  his  Bible.  He  reads  easily 
and  speaks  fluently  the  ancient  and  modern  languages. 
With  several  eminent  Germans  he  has  sat  under  their 
vine  and  fig-tree,  and  held  long  discourse  upon  the 
subjects  on  which  they  have  treated  in  their  books.  I 
think  that  we,  who  have  hardly  shaken  the  dews  of 
college  walls  from  our  sapling  branches,  can  ill  afford 
to  rattle  defiance  at  the  ignorance  of  the  sturdy  old  oak 
with  an  experience  gathered  from  the  centuries." 

"I  beg  pardon  of  the  venerable  shade,  but  I  hope 
he  will  remember  that  the  world  revolves  on  its  axis, 
even  though  he  survives  all  change  and  chance  in 
unparalleled  dignity,"  retorted  Thomaston  ;  "  I  believe 
what  our  American  philosopher  says:  'Wherever  a 
man  comes  there  comes  revolution.  The  old  is  for 
slaves.' " 

"  Truth  is  eternal,"  answered  Israel ;  "  hence  as  good 
at  the  beginning  as  at  the  end.  Truth  is  God.  He 
is  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  forever.  The  old 
ex  cathedra  uttered  to  the  first  family-child  :  '  If  thou 
doest  well,  shalt  thou  not  be  accepted?  and  if  thou 
doest  not  well,  sin  lieth  at  the  door,'  is  just  as  plain 
and  true  to-day  as  it  was  then.  Cain  was  one  of  your 
men.  He  thought  for  himself,  independent  of  God. 
He  was  jealous  of  Abel,  whose  sacrifice  found  more 
favor  than  his  own.  He  did  not  see  any  use  in  atoning 
blood,  when  the  earth  was  full  of  inexhaustible  re- 
sources for 'self-adjustment,' which  he  could  secure  by 
his  own  hand.  Then  came  a  revolution.  He  struck 
Abel  out  of  sight.  This  man  thought  his  brother's 
work  meet  for  slaves,  not  for  himself.  He  made  a 


TALK   WITH    A   SPIRITUALIST.  245 

mistake.  The  revolution  was  in  himself;  not  in  the 
earth,  nor  in  the  Everlasting  God.  The  blood  of  his 
brother  cried  from  the  very  ground  beneath  him.  As 
•well  might  he  have  made  a  shield  and  cai'ried  it 
between  him  and  the  morning  star,  announcing  after- 
wards that  such  star  was  no  more.  How  petty  is 
such  a  design !  how  infinitely  small  its  attempt  at 
execution  !  As  though  a  man  could  strike  out  Christ 
and  his  revealed  word  !  " 

"  Such  talk  is  but  fustian  —  mere  rant,"  said  Thom- 
aston. 

"Perhaps  it  is,"  answered  Israel  calmly  ;  "but  my 
theme  is  worthy  of  a  better  advocate,  and  yet  it  has  no 
need  of  any  human  voice  to  be  uplifted  in  its  behalf. 
Perfect  in  itself,  it  requires  no  imperfection  to  consum- 
mate its  mission.  But  setting  aside  all  abstract  argu- 
ment, let  us  look  at  the  practical  bearings  of  the  two 
schemes  —  the  Gospel  plan  and  the  self-hood ;  the 
Christ  and  the  Man.  What  countries  have  been  civil- 
ized, what  neighborhoods  elevated,  blessed  and  truly 
enriched,  or  what  poor,  down-trodden  heart  perma- 
nently refreshed  and  comforted  by  such  words  as  have 
been  left  on  record  by  Bahrdt,  Loeffler,  Lessing,  Rei- 
marus,  Paulus,  Strauss,  Renan,  Herbert,  Collins, 
Tindal,  Blount,  Shaftesbury,  Voltaire,  and  Paine? 
Souls  have  been  made  giddy  with  a  presentiment  of 
emancipation  from  the  old.  They  have  been  stultified 
with  their  own  divine.  They  have  dreamed  of  drink- 
ing the  nectar  of  Olympus  from  the  muddy  ponds  of 
their  own  hearts.  They  have  grasped  diamonds  in 
fire-flies,  and  seen  angels  in  rotten  wood.  They  have 
lived  charmed  lives.  But  which  of  them  all  has  died 


246  AMONG   THE   SPIRITUALISTS. 

a  charmed  death?  Which  of  them  all,  in  the  face  of 
the  inevitable  event  which  was  about  to  carry  them 
into  the  visible  presence  of  the  great  God,  could  rap- 
turously say,  with  the  apostle,  '  For  I  am  now  ready 
to  be  offered,  and  the  time  of  my  departure  is  at  hand. 
I  have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have  finished  my  course, 
I  have  kept  the  faith.  Henceforth  there  is  laid  up 
for  me  a  crown  of  righteousness,  which  the  Lord,  the 
righteous  Judge,  shall  give  me  at  that  day  ;  and  not  to 
me  only,  but  unto  all  them  also  that  love  his  appear- 
ing'?" 

"  But  what  has  all  this  to  do  with  modern  Spiritual- 
ism?" asked  Thomaston,  after  an  embarrassing  pause. 

"Very  much,"  answered  Israel;  "from  what  I 
gather  out  of  the  papers  and  books  which  I  have  had 
from  you,  upon  this  subject,  I  understand  that  this 
thing,  Spiritualism,  is  only  a  new  phase  or  demon- 
stration of  an  infidelity  which  has  run  through  all  the 
ages  since  the  beginning ;  nature  and  the  self-hood 
against  the  law  and  God  —  against  revelation  and  the 
Christ.  These  new  supernatural  sights  and  sounds 
are  only  a  recasting  of  the  old  characters,  and  a  re- 
vamping of  the  old  stage-machinery.  Every  quarter 
of  an  age  must  have  its  spiritual  sensation." 

"  That  is  to  say,  you  think  it  all  trick  and  humbug 
—  of  a  piece  with  the  Salem  witchcraft?"  pursued 
Thomaston. 

"By  no  means.  The  trick  and  humbug  are  not 
with  the  machinery,  (that  works  fairly  in  most  cases ; 
no  doubt  there  are  some  counterfeits,)  but  they  belong 
to  the  underlying  principle  from  which  this  operation 
springs  —  the  invisible  law.  Neither  was  the  Salem 


TALK    WITH    A    SPIRITUALIST. 

demonstration  a  pure  humbug,  nor  yet  have  been  the 
sorcery  and  magic,  and  the  thousand  pronounced 
demonstrations  which  work  under  this  system  of 
causes  that  encloses  the  scheme  whose  name  is  a  lie  ! 
These  are  the  principalities  and  powers,  the  rulers  of 
the  darkness  of  this  world.  And  we  need  the  whole 
armor  of  God  to  withstand  them,  — the  most  valuable 
piece  of  which  is  faith." 

"  Yes,"  said  Thomaston,  ironically,  "  I  think  it  is. 
But  why  not  have  more  faith  in  Spiritualism?  You 
admitted  that  you  knew  what  Mrs  Kennet  said  to  you 
was  true." 

"  Only  in  regard  to  certain  alleged  appearances. 
There  was  just  enough  light  borrowed  to  make  the 
darkness  more  visible." 

"  How  can  you  prove  that?  " 

"  I  have  not  told  you  my  experience  about  the 
'kindred  spirit'  revealed  to  me  by  the  medium  greatly 
to  my  surprise  and  satisfaction  ?  " 

"No!     How  was  it?" 

"  On  a  Sunday  after  that,  I  obtained  the  company 
of  one  of  my  friends  who  knows  the  people  where  the 
girl  appears  at  meeting,  — '  the  girl  with  the  plain 
bonnet  and  shawl,'  whom  I  recognized  as  soon  as  the 
medium  described  her,  as  one  I  had  once  seen  about  a 
year  since, — and  together  we  went  to  that  place,  I  for 
the  second  time.  I  wished,  if  possible,  to  get  my  friend 
to  identify  her  and  inform  me  who  she  was,  for  I  did  not 
even  know  her  name.  What  was  my  delight  to  find 
that  the  lady  was  the  happy  wife  of  a  man,  who,  with 
herself,  was  well  known  to  my  friend  !  Thus  ended 
the  '  spiritualistic '  shadow  of  my  kindred  spirit,  desig- 


248  AMONG    THE    SPIRITUALISTS. 

nated  by  the  care  of  my  sainted  mother  !  The  fault  was 
not  in  the  saint.  It  was  in  the  sin  and  its  author !  " 

"But  they  certainly  tell  many  wonderful  truths," 
persisted  Thomaston. 

"  And  as  certainly  tell  many  falsehoods,  as  every  one 
who  has  ever  dealt  largely  with  this  thing  knows  full 
well.  The  poor  mediums,  who  are  often  innocent  and 
well-meaning,  make  good  cat's-paws  for  the  arch 
enemy." 

"You  think  he  has  horns  and  cloven  feet,  I  suppose  ! 
No  wonder  you  believe  so  much !  "  laughed  Thom- 
aston. 

"When  I  speak  of  a  person  or  one  being  under  the 
designation  of  the  arch  enemy,  I  refer  to  evil  and  its 
angels,  who  were  once  men  like  us.  These  are  the 
opposites  of  God  and  the  good  angels,  who  also 
were  men." 

"  Why  may  not  these  good  angels  talk  to  us  through 
mediums." 

"It  is  not  for  me  to  say  that  they  cannot.  But  I 
would  as  soon  listen  for  them  on  my  own  pillow  in 
the  night  hours,  as  at  the  speech  of  a  medium. 
Sooner  far  would  I  watch  for  them  in  the  province  of 
my  common  life.  For  the  food  of  my  soul,  my  daily 
bread  is  all  I  need  ask  of  the  good  Father,  and  not 
miraculous  quails." 

"Well ;  every  one  to  his  taste  ;  chacun  a  son  gout" 
responded  Thomaston. 

"  Be  careful  that  you  do  not  taste  the  meat  which 
will  not  keep  and  stand  the  test  of  time." 

"  Ah !  it  is  not  us,  free-thinkers,  who  have  to  do 
with  the  ages.  The  now  is  all  in  all,  to  us.  What 


TALK    WITH    A    SPIRITUALIST.  249 

a  man  is,  abides  with  us  forever,"  exclaimed  Thom- 
aston  triumphantly ;  "  the  present  of  the  human  soul 
is  the  acorn  in  which  are  folded  the  gloriously  infinite 
possibilities  of  the  Divine  Eternal." 

"  Thus  saith  the  Lord  :  '  I  am  the  Lord,  and  there 
is  none  else,  there  is  no  God  beside  me  :  I  girded  thee, 
though  thou  hast  not  known  me.'  He  girds  you  with 
all  the  strength  you  have,  whether  you  know  him  or 
not.  Who  can  contemplate  a  more  sublime  spectacle 
than  that  of  the  Lord  girding  His  creatures  with  the 
strength  which  they  use  in  their  attempts  to  rebel 
against  His  law?  Truly  He  is  good,  and  His  mercy 
endureth  forever  ! ''  exclaimed  Israel. 

"We  know  and  acknowledge  God  sooner  than  we 
do  his  '  professed  '  children,  —  the  elect  of  his  love. 
We  believe  that  all  are  his  children,  and  may  hold 
communication  with  Him.  Not  ever  are  we  talking 
about  Him,  but  our  life  is  surrounded  and  lost  in 
Him.  I  have  a  young  brother  —  the  delight  of  all  our 
hearts.  Our  love  is  repaid  in  love.  He  lives  in  us, 
but  he  is  unconscious  of  it  to  any  pronounced  stand- 
ard," said  Thomaston. 

"  That  beloved  brother,"  continued  Israel,  "  fur- 
nishes me  a  test  question  in  point.  If  you  knew  that 
he  must  be  left  alone  in  the  world,  would  you  not 
place  him  in  the  care  of  a  truly  Christian  man,  instead 
of  one  who  maybe  called  an  infidel  Spiritualist — a 
disbeliever  of  the  Bible?" 

"  It  would  depend  on  the  man,"  answered  Thom- 
aston ;  "  not  on  his  external  opinions." 

"  But  the  man  and  his  opinions  are  identical,  in  a 
free  land  like  oilrs,"  said  Israel. 


250  AMONG    THE    SPIRITUALISTS. 

"  Some  of  our  most  remarkable  free-thinkers  have 
been  gracious  to  all  young  people,  kind  and  benevo- 
lent to  the  neighbor,  and  as  true  souled  in  all  points 
of  honor  and  right  as  man  ever  was,"  said  Thomaston. 
"  And  I  need  not  remind  you  of  the  difference  in  this 
respect  between  them  and  what  are  called  ministers 
of  the  Gospel,"  he  continued.  "  I  know  of  orthodox 
pastors  who  scarcely  nod  at  the  young  people  of  re- 
spectable families  in  their  parish,  from  year  to  year. 
They  seem  to  think  that  all  attention  to  such  members 
of  their  flock  will  subtract  from  their  elect,  priestly 
superiority.  Such  young  people  go  out  into  the  world 
for  themselves,  and  finding  that  those  whom  they  have 
been  taught  to  class  with  the  '  son  of  perdition '  are 
kind,  tender-hearted,  sympathetic,  the  springs  of  their 
love  out-flowing,  they  naturally  turn  to  them  and 
finally  become  their  disciples.  No  wonder  that  these 
priestly  autocrats  find  comfort  and  refreshment  in  the 
doctrine  of  sovereign  decrees,  election,  and  reproba- 
tion !  " 

"  I  know  also,"  he  continued,  "  men  first  and  fore- 
most in  these  orthodox  churches,  who  are  more  dan- 
gerous in  business  than  common  burglars,  because, 
forsooth,  their  work  is  not  one  for  which  we  can  obtain 
redress  in  case  of  detection.  Their  strength  is  to 
cheat ;  their  play  to  make  long  prayers,  which  are  as 
tasteless  '  as  the  white  of  an  egg.'  The  sins  of  these 
men  go  beforehand  unto  judgment,  for  they  are  in 
the  mouths  of  everybody  but  their  fellows  in  the 
church.  Think  you  I  should  prefer  to  place  a  young 
and  innocent  child  in  such  an  earth-sphere  as  that?" 

"In   all  ages,"    replied    Israel,    "there   have   been 


TALK    WITH    A    SPIRITUALIST.  251 

hypocrites.  Our  Saviour  denounced  them  in  the 
strongest  terms.  Were  there  no  genuine  disciples, 
there  would  be  no  counterfeit.  But  surely  you  will 
not  deny  that  there  are  good  pastors  and  good  people 
in  the  Christian  churches.  These  are  the  salt  of  the 
earth." 

u  Said  I  not,  it  depended  on  the  man  and  not  his 
opinions?  But  that  was  not  all  of  the  matter.  I 
mean  that  a  good  man  will  have  a  good  rule  of  action 
.underlying  all  his  motives,  whether  among  one  people 
or  another  ;  and  the  same  of  the  bad.  But  such  opin- 
ions as  are  taught  by  these  churches  are  most  dangerous 
and  destructive  of  good.  Were  not  men  who  are  not 
sacrificed  to  the  spirit  of  their  doctrines  very  good  by 
nature,  and  were  it  not  for  the  restraints  of  society, 
they  would  be  rui»ed  by  them." 

"  Let  us  remember,"  said  Israel,  "  that  the  greatest 
of  all  virtues  is  charity." 

"  It  says  also,  '  they  that  fear  the  Lord  hate  evil,' 
and  a  curse  is  pronounced  upon  '  him  that  justifieth 
the  ungodly,'  "  Thomaston  quickly  interposed. 

"  But  we  must  forgive  those  who  trespass  against 
us,  if  we  wish  to  be  forgiven.  We  must  be  more 
quick  to  see  the  good  than  the  evil.  We  must  be 
mindful  that  not  one  of  us  is  without  sin.  It  makes 
a  man  unhappy  and  unhealthy  to  harbor  censorious 
thoughts  of  others,"  said  Israel. 

"  True  ;  and  allow  me  to  remind  you  of  all  these 
good  words  of  yours,  when  you  sit  in  judgment  on  the 
Spiritualist-infidel  or  the  Neo-Spiritualist.  They  are 
not  without  their  good  points  as  well  as  those  which 
you  may  think  are  evil.  I  quite  consent  to  the  propo- 


252  AMONG    THE    SPIRITUALISTS. 

sition  that  the  greatest  of  all  spiritual  gifts  is  love. 
And  with  it  in  the  ascendant  in  your  mind,  you  will 
oblige  me  by  stating  your  idea  of  the  origin  and  nature 
of  what  are  called  Spiritual  manifestations  —  that  is, 
more  definitely  than  you  have  yet  done.  For  when 
you  set  them  down  to  the  score  of  the  devil,  you  talk 
as  intelligently  as  do  the  Turks,  who  say  that  their 
most  exalted  pachas  are  the  pachas  with  three  tails." 

"  I  think  that  His  Darkness  works  often  in  this 
thing  by  means  of  animal  magnetism  and  electro- 
dynamics. By  eliminating  common  sense,  the  exper- 
iment is  a  success,"  said  Israel. 

"  But  the  devil  would  not  require  to  call  in  such 
aid,"  said  the  Spiritualist. 

"  I  do  not  give  him  the  credit  of  omniscience.  He 
is  not  greater  than  God,  who  works  by  means,"  an- 
swered Israel. 

"  There  is  no  use  in  reasoning  with  one  who  has  no 
reasonable  basis,"  said  Thomaston,  impatiently. 

"  I  trust  I  am  not  so  prejudiced  as  to  be  unwilling 
to  listen  to  what  is  really  reasonable,"  returned  Israel. 

"  Then,"  said  Thomaston,  "  consent  to  accompany 
me  to-morrow  evening,  to  hear  the  noted  Spiritualist 
speaker,  Denatra,  who  speaks  in  Granby  Hall." 

Israel  assented. 


A    SPIRITUAL    TRAJECTORY.  253 


CHAPTER   IV. 

A    SPIRITUAL    TRAJECTORY. 

THOMASTON  was  prevented  from  attending  the 
meeting  designated,  and  Israel  went  without  him. 
The  next  day  they  met,  and  thus  discoursed  : — 

Tkomaston.  "  So  you  had  the  rare  privilege  of 
listening  to  our  great  apostle,  last  evening?  " 

Israel,     "  I  heard  him." 

T.  "  Distil  some  of  the  dew  of  his  lips  upon  me, 
if  you  please." 

/.  "  Rather  some  of  the  poison  from  under  his 
serpent-tongue." 

T.  "  Thou  unbeliever  in  all  that  is  high  and  beau- 
tiful ! " 

/.  "  He  said  what  I  could  not  have  believed  pos- 
sible for  a  man  in  any  reputable  place  of  this  land  to 
dare  utter." 

T.  "  Dare !  Indeed,  a  great,  true  soul  will  dare 
even  death  for  truth's  sake." 

/.  "I  would  dare  death,  I  think,  sooner  than  the 
responsibility  of  his  words." 

T.  "  Why  did  you  not  cry  out  and  shout  'Amen,' 
thou  inhabitant  of  Zion?" 

/.     "  It  would  have  been  Jonah's  cry." 

T.     "  When  he  entered  the  golden  gate  of  heaven  ?  " 


254  AMONG    THE    SPIRITUALISTS. 

/.  "  No ;  when  in  the  recesses  of  the  hell  he  pic- 
tures. Like  the  expatriated  prophet,  I  was  stifled, 
suffocated  ;  and  had  I  not  soon  escaped,  would  have 
cut  my  throat  with  a  file." 

T.     "  What  heard  you  so  disturbing?  " 

/.  "  After  aiming  the  usual  shafts  against  Christ, 
the  Bible,  and  God  himself,  he  was  particularly 
eloquent  in  irony  of  prayer,  —  that  divinest  privilege 
of  the  soul,  —  against  remorse  or  consciousness  of  sin, 
and  finally  against  law.  In  this  latter  division  of  his 
theme,  the  man  with  his  unhallowed  lips  dared  to 
talk  of  woman  and  her  rights." 

T.  "  Good  ;  that  is  what  people  of  your  set  do 
every  day  with  impunity,  —  and  not  only  men,  but 
women.  I  hope  you  are  sufficiently  gallant  to  be 
willing  to  accord  to  the  sex  those  rights  which  many 
now  claim?" 

/.     "Yes,  when  they. claim  to  be  women." 

T.  "  You  could  not  but  like  our  true  spiritual  idea 
of  woman's  sphere,  if  you  only  understood  it." 

Israel  now  arose  and  began  to  walk  the  room  in 
silence.  At  last,  striking  his  forehead  with  his  hand, 
he  exclaimed,  "  Thou  God  of  my  mother  !  thou  know- 
est  I  should  fall  dead  under  the  axe  of  self-torture ;  were 
I  to  mistakenly  link  myself  to  one  of  these  women  who 
accepted  this  '  doctrine  of  devils  ! ' ' 

T.  "  Would  you  not  tolerate  the  right  of  ballot  in 
your  wife  —  that  privilege  now  clamorously  claimed  ?  " 

/.  "  I  believe  that  a  man  in  all  ways  should  shield 
the  companion  of  his  life,  with  a  sacred  consciousness 
of  his  heaven-delegated  right  so  to  do,  unutterably 
tender,  yet  with  a  fidelity  to  judicious  purpose,  which 


A    SPIRITUAL    TRAJECTORY.  255 

should  be  a  quality  of  the  '  sterner  stuff'  of  his  make. 
Whoso  professes  this,  and  through  wilful  negligence 
comes  short,  let  him  be  anathema  (I  speak  ex  cathedra.} 
Grave  yet  sweet  should  be  his  recognition  of  her  paral- 
lel existence.  The  picture  to  him  will  be  the  haloed 
Christ  knocking  at  the  door  of  his  heart.  The  fact,  a 
divine  gift  approaching  his  approach  of  providential 
circumstance.  His  compassion  for  this  woman's  faults 
will  be  unqualified  with  the  hauteur  of  self-poise  ;  his 
faithfulness  to  her  needs  bounded  by  a  manly  scope. 

"  But  to  marry  a  woman,"  continued  Israel,  u  who 
.asserts  her  right  to  go  to  the  ballot ;  to  think  for  me  ; 
to  lead  battles  like  Semiramis  on  an  elephant,  though 
of  words  ;  to  allow  herself  and  her  good  works,  what- 
ever they  are,  to  be  trumpeted  about  the  world  ;  and 
to  go  up  and  down  seeking  what  conquests  she  can 
acquire,  —  would  be,  in  short,  like  the  attempt  to 
make  a  bosom  friend  of  the  statue  of  Minerva  in  a 
public  square." 

T.  "  But  what  remains  to  do  !  The  women  are 
rushing  that  way.  Much  learning  doth  make  them 
mad." 

/.  "  I  cannot  accept  your  universal  sweep.  If  it 
was  so,  I,  for  one,  would  put  forth  my  utmost  exertion 
to  form  a  new  society  called  the  Young  Men's  Inde- 
pendent Union.  The  principal  article  of  its  constitu- 
tion shall  read —  We,  the  undersigned,  do  solemnly 
pledge  ourselves  not  to  knowingly  marry  a  'woman 
who  is  a  modern  Spiritualist,  or  who  claims  the  right 
of  elective  franchise,  or  who  believes  in  exhibiting 
herself  to  the  public  as  a  speaker  or  writer" 


256  AMONG    THE    SPIRITUALISTS. 

T.  "  Ha  !  Now  you  are  forever  lost  in  the  regards 
of  great  souls !  All  the  blue-stockings  and  their 
doughty  esquires  will  be  pelting  your  devoted  head 
with  their  brickbat  arguments,  till  you  will  not  know 
your  right  hand  from  your  left.  It  is  woman's  priv- 
ilege to  scold  with  tongue  and  pen,  and  at  present  she 
seems  fully  disposed  to  live  up  to  it." 

/.  "  Very  well ;  there  is  one  staff  yet  in  our  hands  ; 
nay,  two  staves.  They  cannot  make  us  love  nor  wed 
them." 

T.  "  As  though  they  desired  to  !  It  is  amusing  to 
contemplate  the  amount  of  conceit  which  a  man  like 
you  can  carry  about  him  !  A  lady  Spiritualist  would 
scorn  your  ghost ;  a  voting  lady  would  scarcely  deign 
to  extinguish  you  with  the  power  of  her  ballot ;  and 
an  authoress  or  speakeress  would  draw  away  her  royal 
robe  from  the  slightest  contact  with  your  ignoble 
presence." 

I.  "  Remember,  however,  that  I  make  a  sharply 
defined  distinction  between  the  classes  indicated.  Not 
all  lady  writers  or  speakers  are  Spiritualists  or  would- 
be  voters." 

T.  "  You  would  not  mind  breaking  your  staff  or 
staves  in  defence  of  the  one  class  upon  an  emergency, 
I  conclude,  when  the  Spiritualists  would  have  to  suffer 
drowning  because  you  declined  an  introduction  for 
their  rescue." 

/.  "I  borrow  the  name  of  my  staves  from  Holy 
Writ — Beauty  and  Bands.  The  Spiritualists  do  not 
recognize  the  Bible,  consequently  they  would  not  me 
nor  my  staves." 

T.     "  The    classification   of    those    ladies  and  you 


A    SPIRITUAL    TRAJECTORY.  357 

should  be  rather  Beauty  and  the  Beast.  I  pity  the 
woman  whom  you  shall  vouchsafe  to  endow  with 
yourself." 

I.  "  Possibly  your  emotion  would  be  wasted." 
(Smiling). 

T.  "  I  am  proud  and  happy  to  say  that  my  wife 
shall  be  free  —  free  as  a  butterfly  among  the  flowers 
of  a  garden  —  free  to  think,  to  speak,  to  act.  She 
shall  vote,  if  she  likes.  She  shall  live  and  die  with- 
out being  fretted  with  my  petty  chains. 

/.  "  Provided  you  find  her.  But  it  is  one  thing  to 
talk  of  freedom  —  another  to  live  in  that  state." 

"  Who  talks  here  of  freedom?"  now  interrupted  a 
loud,  hearty  voice ;  "  and  what  is  the  burden  of  this 
valley  of  vision?" 

Israel  recognized  a  man  who,  a  few  days  before, 
had  been  announced  to  him  as  Captain  Brewster.  He 
had  once  followed  the  seas,  but  was  now  a  retired 
gentleman,  living  upon  his  fortune. 

"  Pray,  sir,"  said  Thomaston,  rising,  hat  in  hand, 
"  whose  dog  are  you?  " 

"  I  wear  no  collar  around  my  neck.  I  belong  to 
the  great  universal  family  of  man.  God  is  my  father. 
No  man  is  my  master.  All  men  are  my  brothers  for 
time  and  eternity.  We  shall  all  make  one  port  at 
last." 

"  We  have  been  talking  upon  religion  in  its  various 
moral  and  social  relations  pertaining  to  our  fellow 
men  and  women,"  said  Thomaston  ;  "will  you  join  us 
and  classify  yourself  ?  " 

"  I  glory  in  my  name  —  a  Bible  Universalist,"  said 
the  captain. 

'7 


258  AMONG    THE   SPIRITUALISTS. 

"  In  some  things  we  agree ;  in  others,  not.  But 
both  of  us,  I  am  sure,  deny  the  existence  of  that 
imputed  relative,  Old  Nick,  who  came  from  the  north- 
ern sea-god  Nicken  ;  and  we  affirm,  by  paronomasia, 
that  men  are  not  fiends  but  friends,  and  that  God  is 
but  another  name  for  Good  ;  hence  his  attributes  must 
be  all  summed  up  in  Love  !  "  continued  Thomaston. 

"  It  is  a  pity  that  our  young  friend,  Mr.  Knight, 
(turning  towards  Israel,)  is  not  more  perfectly  in- 
structed in  the  way  of  God.  He  seems  well-disposed, 
but—"  * 

"  Dreadfully  be-knight-ed,"  added  Thomaston  ;  "  sup- 
pose, captain,  that  you  take  him  under  your  tuition 
awhile.  I  have  been  too  clumsy,  I  think,  to  hammer 
his  mind  into  the  shape  of  a  good  horseshoe  that  will 
effectually  keep  off  the  devil." 

"  Most  willingly,  if  by  his  own  free  act  and  deed," 
answered  the  captain. 

"I  have  no  objection  to  investigation,"  said  Israel. 

"  Then  hold  yourself  in  readiness  to  go  to  my  meet- 
ing next  Sunday,"  said  the  captain. 

"  Certain  I  am,"  said  Israel,  "  that  I  have  not  yet 
found  the  City." 

"  What  city?"  asked  the  captain. 

"  That  with  the  precious  name  of  which  mention  is 
made  in  the  Bible  as  '  The  Lord  is  there.' " 

"  We  know  that  we  have  that  name,  for  truly  God 
is  with  us,"  said  the  Universalist. 


AMONG   THE   UNIVERSALISTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE    UNIVERSALIST    SERMON. 

THE  following  Sunday,  Israel  was  on  his  way  with 
Capt.  Brewster  to  attend  the  Universalist  meeting. 
Another  gentleman,  who,  though  not  of  this  faith, 
sometimes  went  to  this  church,  accompanied  them. 
His  name  was  Ackerman. 

This  man  said:  "I  can  tell  what  'our  text'  will 
prove  this  morning ;  at  least,  I  should  not  be  afraid  to 
lay  a  heavy  wager  that  it  will  be  one  of  twelve  verses, 
which  twelve  are  headed  off  with,  '  For  as  in  Adam 
all  die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive.' 
Then  comes,  '  That  in  the  dispensation  of  the  fulness 
of  times,  he  might  gather  together  in  one  all  things 
in  Christ ; '  next  '  Who  will  have  all  men  to  be  saved, 
and  to  come  under  the  knowledge  of  the  truth ; ' 
'  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  off  their  faces,' 
and  —  " 

"You  forget,"  here  interrupted  Capt.  Brewster, 
"  that  we  now  have  a  new  minister.  He  is  peculiar 
in  treating  old  truths  in  a  new  way." 

"  Out  of  the  Bible?"  asked  Ackerman. 

"Yes,"  answered  the  captain,  "our  preacher  is  a 
Bible  Christian,  I  am  proud  to  say.  He  does  not 
belong  to  the  left  wing  of  Universalism." 

259 


260  AMONG    THE    UNIVERSALISTS. 

"Then  you  acknowledge  two  wings  to  your  denom- 
ination?" said  Israel. 

"  Certainly ;  our  people,  like  all  others  in  Christen- 
dom, have  their  Cagots,"  he  said,  good-humoredly. 

"What  is  that?"  asked  Israel ;  "I  do  not  compre- 
hend." 

"When  I  was  in  the  south  of  France,  I  found  a  race 
of  people  who  wore  an  egg-shell  on  their  clothes,  by 
way  of  distinction.  I  asked  what  it  meant,  and  was 
told  that  it  was  a  sign  by  which  to  know  who  were 
Cagots.  In  former  ages  they  had  been  shunned  a& 
lepers ;  then  it  had  got  down  to  only  an  egg-shell." 

"  I  have  heard  of  its  all  lying  in  a  nut-shell,"  said 
Ackerman. 

"  The  difference,"  said  the  captain,  "  is  as  small  as 
that,  to  appearance  ;  but  after  all,  they  have  the  taint 
in  the  blood.  There  are  those  who  cannot  think  as  we 
do,  in  all  points.  It  isn't  in  them." 

"  What  is  the  difference  at  last?  "  asked  Israel. 

"Finally,  none  at  all.  He  will  reign  till  He  has 
subdued  all  things.  There  are  first  and  second  fruits," 
answered  the  captain. 

"You  were  not  brought  up  a  Universalist,"  here 
remarked  Israel. 

"How  do  you  think  that?"  asked  the  captain. 

"Because  I  know  it  must  be  so.  You  have  the 
language^  of  the  mixed  nation.  Your  parents,  or  guar- 
dians, or  tutors,  whoever  they  were  that  had  your  first 
years  in  training,  were  either  Congregationalists  or 
Baptists.  By  nature,  you  are  what  you  are,  which  is 
not  what  you  were  by  education." 

"Guessed  right,  messmate.     My  father  and  mother 


THE    UNIVERSALIST    SERMON.  261 

were  Baptists  —  real  hard-shells.  They  doubted  the 
salvation  which  is  not  got  out  of  the  water.  I  expect 
that  was  one  reason  why  I  took  to  the  sea." 

They  were  now  at  the  church.  Israel  noticed  that 
the  comers  were  in  excellent  spirits,  to  appearance. 
Every  man  greeted  his  neighbor,  and  all  knew  each 
other,  from  the  least  to  the  greatest.  The  ladies  wore 
many  bright  colors,  which  generally  were  arranged 
with  more  reference  to  show  than  elegance.  They 
greeted  each  other  with  voices  which  indicated  a  sub- 
stantial breakfast,  and  he  missed  the  subdued  mouse  of 
superior  refinement  running  along  their  tones.  Nothing 
was  constrained,  measured,  fastened.  On  everything 
seemed  written :  "  All  things  are  yours,  and  ye  are 
Christ's,  and  Christ  is  God's/ 

They  found  their  seats,  as  they  would  at  a  lecture 
on  secular  occasions  ;  and  one  or  two  elderly  men  took 
out  a  political  newspaper  and  read  till  the  minister 
ascended  the  pulpit  steps. 

The  minister  was  an  intellectual  looking  man. 
Evidently  he  spent  more  hours  in  his  library  than  in 
visiting  or  fishing.  He  had  the  cast  of  him  who 
fashions  his  own  mallet  with  which  to  beat  the  oil  for 
the  sanctuary.  His  commentator  was  not  Hosea  Bal- 
lon, nor  Walter  Balfour,  nor  Paige,  but  rather  his  own 
reflection. 

His  prayer  was  moderate  in  length  and  devout  in 
spirit,  offering  all  in  the  name  of  "  the  Great  Mediator 
and  the  Adorable  Saviour  of  all  mankind."  His  text 
was  not  one  of  Ackerman's  twelve  standards.  It  was, 
"  I  press  toward  the  mark  for  the  prize  of  the  high 
calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus."  (Phil.  3  :  14.)  Also 


262  AMONG    THE    UNIVERSALISTS. 

this :  "  And  he  said,  of  a  truth  I  say  unto  you,  that 
this  poor  widow  hath  cast  in  more  than  they  all." 
(Luke  21  :  3.)  From  these  words  he  derived  his 
theme  of  PRIZES  ;  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  and 
the  prize  of  the  low  calling. 

Israel  made  notes,  which  ran  like  this  :  — 

"  When  men,  like  the  ancient  Greeks,  went  to  the 
great  national  festivals  with  a  spike  of  hyacinth  blos- 
soms at  their  ears,  it  was  fitting  that  those  festivals 
should  award  prizes.  The  old  Alcibiades'  shoes  looked 
well  stamping  applause  at  the  announcement  of  a 
favorite  winner.  The  Grecian  youth  who  delighted 
in  his  dancing  dog,  and  the  leading  choragi  in  a  robe 
of  gold-colored  silk,  were  at  home  in  the  work  of 
struggling  for  prizes. 

"  The  Christian  teacher  whose  God  was  a  wrathful 
Jupiter,  dispensing  smiles  and  frowns  upon  a  system 
of  debt  and  credit,  rewards  and  punishments,  found 
the  scheme  of  visible  prizes,  both  in  this  world  and 
the  next,  serviceable  to  illustrate  his  heathen  idea.  It 
was  a  grand  goad  whereby  people  were  driven  to 
build  up  enormous  denominational  pyramids,  —  or 
monuments  in  which  was  the  dead  body  of  their  king, 
an  old  defunct  Idea.  It  was  the  part  of  a  truly 
enlightened  Christian  to  teach  people  another  inter- 
pretation of  the  words  of  the  text. 

"That  ambition  was  natural  to  the  human  soul,  no 
observer,  philosophical  or  common,  could  deny.  You 
could  not  eradicate  it  —  root  it  out.  If  you  succeeded 
in  crushing  it  down  beyond  the  plane  of  activity,  the 
man  was  no  more  a  man.  He  was  demented,  robbed 
of  his  mind,  of  himself.  There  was  no  use  in  calling 


THE    UNIVERSALIST    SERMON.  263 

ambition  a  sin.  The  sin  was  in  its  development,  its 
aims.  Every  sane  man  works  for  an  end  in  view,  a 
prize.  The  tendency  of  the  age  is  to  rapid  extremes  ; 
hence  great  strife  for  what  is  called  great  prizes. 

"  The  ambition  of  the  people  should  be  directed 
toward  the  prizes  of  the  high  calling.  These  were 
of  the  spirit,  and  not  the  matter ;  the  substance,  and 
not  the  shadow.  Goodness  should  be  loved  for  itself, 
and  not  for  its  name  and  sound,  however  profitable. 
The  prize  it  holds  out  is  for  the  degree  of  this  love, 
the  manner  whereof  it  is  followed,  the  spirit  in  which 
it  is  taken  up  and  appropriated  to  the  faith  and  life. 
Hence  Christ  awarded  the  glory  to  the  poor  widow 
who  had  cast  into  the  treasury  her  all,  rather  than  to 
the  rich  who  had  given  of  their  substance. 

"At  present,  the  state  of  the  public  mind  was 
unhealthy  upon  this  subject ;  it  was  not  normal. 
False  stimulants  of  all  kinds  were  doing  their  per- 
nicious work  in  all  grades  of  society  and  every  scope 
of  effort.  The  prize-fever  upon  the  low  calling  gains 
ground  with  every  year  ;  and  this  not  only  in  the  lower, 
stories  of  life,  among  half-cultured  races,  whose  blood 
and  bone  are  made  from  the  pabulum  of  sensations, 
but  in  the  star-chambers  of  religion  and  learning. 

"  Churches  which  claim  perfection  of  creed  and 
practice,  churches  whi<jh  command  all  others  to  stand 
aside  as  less  holy  than  themselves,  which  reckon 
themselves  born  under  a  covenant  of  Partial  Grace 
while  all  outsiders  are  Pariahs  to  be  stigmatized, 
prayed  over  and  ground  over,  are  now  busiest  of  all 
in  this  unchristian  and  debasing  work.  So  long  as 

the  business  was  confined  to  wrestling,  rope-walking, 

it 


264  AMONG    THE    UNIVERSALISTS. 

foot-racing,  and  the  like,  in  which  those  who  strove 
for  the  mastery  anointed  with  anserine  oil  before  en- 
tering the  lists,  it  had  much  less  importance  than  now, 
when  men  with  the  odor  of  sanctity  offer  prizes  for 
attainments  in  the  curriculum,  and  also  for  the 
writing  of  tracts,  pious  tales  in  newspapers  and  in 
book  form. 

"  These  children  of  the  light  are  borrowing  wisdom 
from  those  whom  they  are  accustomed  to  call  the  evil 
generation.  The  tricks  of  the  evil  generation  pay. 
They  are  like  the  Hospitallers  of  Jerusalem,  who  bound 
themselves  to  refrain  from  touching  the  filthy  lucre  of 
the  infidels,  but  were  afterwards  found  owning  castles 
and  towns,  and  governing  territory  after  the  fashion  of 
the  most  earthy  of  princes.  While  these  good  knights 
in  their  long  gowns  were  ever  burning  a  light  at  night 
that  they  might  be  prepared  for  the  enemy,  a  subtler 
foe  stole  in  among  them,  and  ere  they  were  aware, 
their  hearts'  citadel  was  captured  by  that  power  which 
they  had  solemnly  abjured. 

"  In  a  catalogue  of  a  New  England  college  for  this 
year,  —  a  college  wherein  an  avowed  Universalist  has 
no  chance  of  the  least  degree  of  justice  being  given 
him, — you  find,  out  of  an  attendance  of  less  than 
two  hundred  and  fifty  students,  thirty-six  prizes  are 
awarded. 

"It  is  said,  for  a.  single  institution  of  learning  to 
offer  a  few  prizes,  or  for  a  student  in  his  curriculum 
of  four  years  to  compete  now  and  then  for  a  prize,  is 
an  insignificant  matter.  Besides  good  accrues  in 
various  directions. 

"  Nothing  is  insignificant  which  goes  to  make  up 


THE    UNIVERSAL1ST    SERMON.  265 

one  man.  That  one  man  will  help  make  other  men  ; 
the  men  make  community ;  and  then  come  results. 
Those  results  react  upon  the  man,  and  act  upon  him 
who  comes  after. 

"A  single  polyp,  building  his  little  castle  of  calca- 
reous matter  in  the  ocean,  seems  but  a  trifling  affair. 
But  other  polyps  build  around  him,  until  a  tribe  of 
zoophytes  are  at  work  on  a  structure  which  becomes  a 
giant  tree  blooming  with  a  thousand  flower-architects. 
The  unwarned  ship  comes  that  way,  strikes  what  is 
now  the  coral  reef,  sinks,  and  is  lost.  The  specimen 
prize  often  cited  as  a  good,  is  but  a  part  of  a  for- 
midable system,  against  which  principle  must  be 
damaged,  if  not  wholly  lost. 

"The  tendency  of  this  system  of  getting  young  men 
forward  on  the  scale  of  the  low  calling,  of  which 
gambling  is  one  of  the  series,  is  a  development  of  the 
meanest  class  of  moral  qualities.  The  fiery  brain  of 
undisciplined  youth  is  a  good  soil  for  these  seeds  of 
pride  and  envy  to  fructify  therein  and  bear  crops 
which  shall  curse  themselves  and  others  with  a  deadly 
poison. 

"  An  intense  selfism  is  the  result  of  a  system  which 
secures  the  advancement  of  one  individual  to  the 
deterioration  of  his  fellows. 

"  What  is  less  like  God  than  the  proud  conscious- 
ness of  the  acknowledged  possession  of  that  which 
gives  the  individual  priority !  How  does  it  violate 
the  spirit  of  the  divine  command  to  love  the  Lord 
with  all  our  heart  and  our  neighbor  as  our  self  !  also, 
that  he  that  is  greatest  should  be  as  a  servant !  And  yet  it 
is  entirely  worthy  of  the  doctrine  which  teaches  that 


266  AMONG    THE    UNIVERSALISTS. 

God  is  a  partial  being,  who  punishes  men  to  all  eter- 
nity for  —  what?  Not  for  ill-desert;  for  if  so,  then 
would  their  choicest  members  take  an  eternal  prize  of 
damnation  for  their  deeds  of  injustice  and  wrong ;  but 
it  is  because  the  innocent  child  of  Adam  does  not 
believe  as  they  do,  —  he  does  not  look  through  their 
microscope  at  the  infinitely  glorious  God  and  His 
plan  of  salvation  ! 

"It  is  worthy  of  the  doctrine  which  teaches  men  to 
pray  for  the  children  of  '  believers,'  and  forgets  or 
condemns  the  sons  of  those  whom  they  think  are  in 
bonds  of  iniquity  ;  yet  everybody  has  heard  of  the 
hopelessness  of  the  ordinary  run  of  orthodox  ministers' 
sons  and  deacons'  daughters. 

"  Not  only  does  this  system  of  low  prizes  react 
unfavorably  upon  the  spiritual  and  moral  character, 
but  upon  the  intellectual  as  well.  The  student  who 
aims  at  the  premium  cannot  afford  to  indulge  in 
thorough  and,  comparatively  speaking,  exhaustive 
investigation.  The  rules  of  this  race-course  do  not 
tolerate  originality.  There  can  be  no  independent 
thought  nor  deviating  experiments  —  no  divine  silence 
of  the  mind,  in  which  descend  the  inspirations  of 
invisible  teachers  and  the  restful  music  of  intermi- 
nable spheres.  Original  demonstrations  which  do  not 
belong  to  the  common  proscribed  track  are  counted 
an  unsightly  freak,  to  be  cast  aside,  as  the  unlearned 
eye  sees  the  growth  of  seeds  on  the  back  of  certain 
leaves,  when  they  are  the  perfect  result  of  a  perfect 
law  —  the  epiphyllospermous. 

"  The  student  may  really  know  twice  as  much  as 
another,  of  the  spirit  of  a  passage  in  the  classics,  or 


THE    UNIVERSALIST    SERMON.  267 

of  the  philosophy  of  a  mathematical  problem,  and  yet 
report  himself  so  poorly  as  to  take  the  lowest  figure  of 
the  scale,  while  the  other  student  seizes  the  words  and 
the  formula  by  the  means  of  a  parrot  memory,  and 
victoriously  wins  the  prize.  Hence,  it  so  often  occurs 
that  prizes  are  unjustly  awarded,  and  that  these  prize- 
students,  in  after  life,  make  so  poor  a  figure  as  practical 
and  useful  men. 

"  Again,  it  often  appears  that  one  of  these  zealously 
affected  toilers  falls  by  the  way  before  reaching  the 
goal.  His  clergyman  then  says  '  his  bounds  were 
set,'  but  his  physician  pronounces  it  a  case  of  excessive 
excitement  of  the  brain.  For  years  before,  his  fond 
parents  had  been  setting  before  him  all  sorts  of  false 
stimuli.  He  had  been  prize  boy  at  the  preparatory 
schools,  and  earlier,  in  the  infant  classes,  a  winner  of 
numberless  '  rewards  of  merit.'  One  of  the  signal 
triumphs  of  his  early  career  was  a  prize  in  the  Sunday 
school  for  repeating  the  greatest  number  of  verses 
from  the  Bible  and  pious  hymns. 

"  The  system  of  prizes  on  the  low  scale  is  aptly 
illustrated  in  various  ways  connected  with  popular 
life,  but  in  none  more  forcibly  than  the  regattas  of  the 
boating  clubs  of  colleges.  Men  who  condemn  horse- 
racing  and  betting  will  frequent  this  spectacle  and 
show  an  interest  worthy  of  a  nobler  race.  Censors 
of  the  religious  press  who  deftly  peck  away  at  the 
follies  of  the  times,  and  particularly  at  those  of  other 
religious  denominations,  get  complaisant  over  these 
fashionable  water  gambling  arenas,  and  are  profoundly 
silent  about  the  '  little  peccadilloes '  which  transpire  as 
a  sequel  to  the  exciting  dissipation." 


268  AMONG    THE    UNIVERSALISTS. 

(Here  the  speaker  expatiated  largely,  but  as  I  was 
one  of  them  at  college,  I  don't  transcribe.) 

"  We  test  the  working  of  this  system  of  prizes  in 
the  diffusion  of  moral  influence  and  religious  knowl- 
edge. Where  prizes  are  offered,  fewer  books  are 
issued,  and  these  at  a  more  expensive  rate  for  the 
buyer.  Often  it  appears  that  the  book  which  most 
pleased  the  awarding  committee  was  really  not  so 
good  as  several  of  the  competing  works.  This  is 
true,  also,  of  the  prize  newspaper  story.  But  the 
sensations  which  attend  the  issue  of  the  superior 
work,  as  they  would  make  it  appear,  are  expected  to 
indemnify  the  publisher  for  his  extra  expense  in  pro- 
claiming them. 

"It  is  like  the  early  times  of  the  art  of  gunnery, 
when  the  size  of  the  ball  was  the  main  object  to  which 
engineers  addressed  themselves.  Marble  bullets  of 
from  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  two  hundred  pounds 
weight  were  fired  in  these  big  guns  but  once  in  each 
day,  and  if  they  hit  the  mark  (which  they  rarely  did) 
their  work  was  signally  devastating.  The  consolation 
for  a  miss  of  the  mark  was  a  tremendous  noise  ! 

u  The  quality  of  the  book  must  be,  according  to 
order,  commonplace  enough.  You  must  not  spin 
glass,  but  yarn,  for  glass  is  '  highfalutin '  and  yarn  is 
useful  and  sensible.  A  touch  of  erudition  is  fatal  as, 
according  to  the  ancients,  was  that  of  a  kingfisher  to 
a  bush.  What  the  '  committee '  do  not  know  must  be 
instantly  extinguished.  The  story  must  be  truth,  and 
yet  representing  real  life  about  as  much  as  does  the 
'  roc's  egg '  interpret  Wesleyan  '  lay  representation? 

"  The  moral   must   be  good,  albeit  carefully   non- 


THE    UNIVERSALIST    SERMOX.  269 

committal  on  all  subjects  which  touch  the  committee's 
taste  or  habits. 

"  The  true  dignity  of  the  Christian  church  forbids 
resort  to  such  enginery  as  prizes  of  this  stamp.  These 
bounty  moneys  for  books  and  tractates  carry  us  back  to 
the  days  of  the  sale  of  indulgences,  and  the  barter  of 
the  feathers  of  a  certain  bird  as  a  safeguard  against 
thunder  and  family  quarrels.  Although  the  tendency 
of  the  times  is  for  prizes  of  all  sorts,  the  church  should 
be  clean  from  this  corruption.  The  leading  conser- 
vators of  her  morals  should  not  enter  the  indecorous 
lists.  The  youth  who  are  trained  to  think  themselves 
better  than  others  because  nurtured  in  peculiar 
forms  and  ceremonies,  from  such  examples  and  tuition 
derive  encouragement  to  pursue  gaming  and  a  career 
of  the  most  debasing  character.  What  is  learned 
under  the  green  tree  will  be  practised  on  a  more 
liberal  scale  under  the  dry. 

"Jupiter  was  wise  to  save  the  horn  of  the  goat 
which  he  nursed ;  afterwards  it  became  to  him  '  a 
horn  of  plenty.'  The  child  that  is  nursed  on  church 
grab-bags,  fish-ponds,  guess-cakes,  and  wheels  of  for- 
tune, with  all  the  other  nameless  appliances  of  these 
fairs  for  pious  purposes,  will  save  that  in  his  soul 
which  will  mature  into  a  greed  nothing  can  satisfy. 
His  hand,  ever  outstretched  for  the  horn  of  plenty, 
will  grasp  only  the  little  end,  while  the  other  will 
empty  its  fabulous  treasures  into  the  unsightly  abysm 
of  his  false  ambition.  Unha'ppiness,  born  of  unrest 
and  disappointment,  is  his  sure  portion." 

(Much  more  in  this  strain  did  the  preacher  say, 
when  he  announced  the  final  portion  of  his  text :  "  Of 


270  AMONG    THE    UNIVERSALISTS. 

a  truth  I  say  unto  you,  that  this  poor  widow  hath  cast 
in  more  than  they  all.") 

"  The  poor  widow  found  a  prize  in  a  sense  of 
having  received  the  divine  approval.  She  had  done 
what  she  could  in  a  spirit  of  simplicity,  truth,  and 
unbounded  faith.  For  it  is  certain  that  she  must  have 
had  this  faith,  else  she  would  not  have  cast  in  her  all. 
A  sense  of  the  infinite  goodness  filled  the  vacuum  in 
her  soul  created  by  poverty.  She  knew  that  He  who 
careth  for  the  sparrows  would  not  forget  one  who  was 
destined  to  be  an  heir  of  immortality.  This  woman 
was  truly  happy.  My  hearers,  had  she  not  found  a 
prize  even  in  this  world  —  one  which  the  man  with 
his  millions  knows  not  of  ? 

"  The  prize  of  riches  is  not  to  be  despised,  if  accom- 
panied by  a  spirit  like  that  which  this  woman  had  — 
simplicity,  truth,  faith.  Said  Confucius  :  '  The  man 
to  whom  God  hath  given  riches,  and  blessed  with  a 
mind  to  employ  them  aright,  is  peculiarly  favored  and 
highly  distinguished.' 

"  It  should  be  always  our  care  to  both  learn  and 
teach  that  lesson  in  the  work  of  creation.  '  And  God 
saw  everything  that  He  had  made,  and  behold  it  was 
very  good.'  The  commonest  things  may  be  exalted 
into  prizes,  when  the  heart  sees  in  them  what  certain 
men  of  old  time  found  written  on  every  leaf  and 
flower  —  the  name  of  God  ! 

"  Every  heart  may  prove  a  nest  of  singing  birds  if 
swung  in  the  branches  of  infinite  love. 

"Angels  are  ever  our  guests  —  the  highest  and 
purest  in  those  hearts  which  love  most. 

"  Existence  itself  is  a  prize,  though  we,  who  love 
not,  but  hate  much,  are  blind. 


THE    UNIVERSALIST    SERMON.  271 

"  The  consciousness  that  we  were  born  with  a 
destiny  which  is  to  be  evolved  in  the  presence  of 
heavenly  hosts,  should  ever  wrap  our  spirits  in  a 
delicious  content,  so  that  it  will  signify  not  much 
whether  our  earthly  feet  are  shod  with  golden  sandals, 
and  walk  the  streets  of  towns,  or  thrid  the  green  lanes 
of  quiet  hamlets  with  shoes  so  worn  and  clumsy  we 
cannot  but  feel  the  prick  of  thorns. 

"The  scale  on  which  God  distributes  prizes,  equal- 
izes fortune  in  reality.  A  man  should  remember  that 
his  lot,  whether  full  or  scant,  like  the  city  which  was 
measured  by  the  golden  reed,  has  '  length  as  large  as 
the  breadth,  and  the  height  of  it  is  also  equal,'  here  or 
there,  in  this  life  or  the  next." 

Yet  other  words  in  this  strain  did  the  preacher 
utter  that  morning ;  but  these  were  all  which  were 
entered  in  the  note-book,  except  the  very  last,  which 
were  these  :  "  Friends,  like  the  apostle,  press  forward 
towards  the  mark  for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling. 
Like  the  poor  widow,  cast  in  your  all,  which  is  love. 
This  alone  is  substance  and  life.  Whatever  is  done  in 
any  other  spirit  is  worthless.  Whatever  is  done  to 
be  seen  of  men,  and  to  obtain  their  poor,  ephemeral 
rewards,  impoverishes  the  soul,  and  retards  your 
preparation  for  eternal  felicity.  With  the  prize  of 
your  high  calling  in  view,  all  work  shall  be  glorified, 
all  aims  shall  be  sanctified.  Every  man  will  be  your 
neighbor,  your  brother,  whom  you  would  no  more 
injure  designedly  than  you  would  injure  yourself. 
Nay,  you  will  strive  in  all  ways  to  help  him  to  press 
forward  toward  the  mark  for  the  prize  of  the  high 
calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus." 

After  the  service,  conversation  began  in  the  vesti- 


272  AMONG    THE    UNIVERSALISTS. 

bule.  Israel  heard  such  fragments  as  these :  "  Our 
minister  is  a  fearless  man,  and  I  am  glad  of  it." 

"  Yes,  he  said  things  to-day  which  no  one  in  this 
city  will  dare  say  in  the  public  desk." 

"  I  don't  agree  with  him  in  all  the  particulars,  but  I 
honor  a  man  for  stating  his  honest  convictions  in  an 
honorable  manner,"  spoke  the  gruff  voice  of  a  man 
whom  Israel  recognized  as  one  of  the  city  government. 

"  We  must  look  out  for  our  fairs,"  was  the  soft 
whisper  of  a  young  lady  to  her  friend,  who  replied, 
"  I  don't  care  ;  I  think  there  is  real  fun  in  a  guess-cake. 
I  got  the  ring  once,  and  I  don't  think  I  am  any  the 
worse  for  it." 

k'  Nor  I,"  here  interposed  one  with  a  mustache,  who 
had  been  listening  unperceived,  "  for  I  got  a  colored 
lady  out  of  a  grab-bag,  myself;  and  1  have  been 
popularly  in  love  with  those  ladies  ever  since." 

"  Well,  young  man,"  said  Captain  Brewster,  as 
they  reached  the  clear  sidewalk,  "  what  d'ye  think  of 
the  sermon  ?  " 

"  Is  it  a  specimen  of  what  you  hear  in  your  pulpit 
regularly  ?  "  asked  Israel  in  reply. 

"  I  told  you  he  was  a  little  peculiar,  you  will 
remember ;  but  we  get  much  the  same  from  him 
always." 

"  I  wish  to  take  time  for  my  answer  to  your  ques- 
tion," said  Israel ;  "  he  crossed  many  of  my  '  estab- 
lished opinions'  most  slashingly." 

"  I  thought  as  much.  Queer,  that  he  preached 
about  prizes  to-day,  when  you  happened  to  be  there. 
Better  go  again  this  afternoon,  and  see  what  you  will 
get." 

"  I  think  I  will,"  responded  Israel. 


CONVERSATION    WITH    A    UNIVERSALIST.          273 

'    ' 


CHAPTER  II. 

CONVERSATION    WITH    A   UNIVERSALIST. 

THAT  day  Israel  dined  with  Captain  Brewster. 
The  conversation  naturally  turned  upon  Universalism. 
Israel  inquired  if  the  denomination  acknowledged  any 
particular  creed.  The  captain  replied,  "  We  have 
what  is  called  the  Winchester  Confession.  In  1803,  a 
committee  composed  of  four  leading  Universalists 
prepared  for  the  annual  convention  which  met  at 
Winchester,  New  Hampshire,  certain  articles  of 
belief,  which  to  this,  day  are  reckoned  the  standard 
ground  of  our  church  theology.  The  reason  of  giving 
out  a  formula  of  doctrine  at  that  time,  I  must  not 
omit  to  tell  you,  as  it  furnishes  an  interesting  item  in 
our  history.  The  Supreme  Court  of  New  Hampshire 
decreed  that  Universalists  and  Congregationalists  were 
one,  in  law,  in  order  to  get  a  tax  out  of  the  Univer- 
salists for  the  support  of  Congregational  parishes.  So 
they  announced  themselves  in  a  fashion  which  they 
intended  should  either  make  a  breach,  or  clear  away 
all  but  the  breach.  This  was  the  '  Profession  of 
Belief,'  "  he  continued,  on  opening  a  book  which  he 
took  down  from  his  library  :  — 

"  '  i.  We  believe  that  the  Holy  Scriptures  of  the  Old 
and  New  Testaments  contain  a  revelation  of  the  char- 
18 


274  AMONG    THE    UNIVERSALISTS. 

acter  of    God,   and  of  the   duty,  interest,    and  jftnal 
destination  of  mankind. 

"  '  2.  We  believe  there  is  one  God,  whose  nature  is 
love,  revealed  in  one  L,ord  Jesus  Christ,  by  one  Holy 
Spirit  of  Grace  ;  who  will  finally  restore  the  whole 
family  of  mankind  to  holiness  and  happiness. 

"'3.  We  believe  that  holiness  and  true  happiness 
are  inseparably  connected  ;  and  that  believers  ought  to 
maintain  order  and  practise  good  works ;  for  these 
things  are  good  and  profitable  unto  men.'  " 

"  There  was  no  danger  of  the  Universalists  being 
identified  with  the  Congregationalists,  after  that,"  said 
Israel. 

"  I  should  think  not.  What  think  you  of  such  a 
creed?"  asked  the  captain. 

"  It  is  not  clear  to  me  what  value  is  attached  to  the 
mission  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 
"  The  words  are  plain  — " 

"  If  so,  why  then  are  Universalists  divided  in  their 
opinions  upon  this  point?  Some  of  them  with  whom 
I  have  conversed  speak  of  him  as  a  man  who  lived  a 
very  good  life,  but  not  more  a  mediator  or  atoning 
sacrifice  for  the  sins  of  mankind  than  was  Seneca, 
Confucius,  or  Peter.  Others  of  whom  I  have  read 
are  quite  orthodox  in  their  idea  of  the  atonement.  In 
the  library  which  was  left  me  by  my  father  I  found  a 
collection  of  hymn  books  used  by  the  different  denom- 
inations. Among  these  is  one  which  was  '  selected 
and  designed  for  the  use  of  the  Independent  Christian 
Church,  of  Gloucester' — the  church  of  the  earliest 
American  Universalists.  It  was  printed  in  1808. 
Nearly  every  hymn  of  this  collection  has  some  refer- 


CONVERSATION    WITH    A    UNIVERSALIST.          275 

ence  to  Christ  as  the  Son  of  God,  who  was  the  Medi- 
ator and  is  the  Saviour  of  mankind.  They  are  hymns 
which,  for  pure  doctrine  upon  the  character  and  mis- 
sion of  Christ,  the  straitest  member  of  the  strictest 
sect  would  not  censure.  Many  of  those  whom  the 
Universalists  claim  as  their  particular  lights  have  been 
orthodox  on  the  doctrine  of  the  Atonement." 

"Mr.  Ballou  has  written  a  work  on  the  Atonement, 
which  I  wish  you  to  read,"  said  the  captain,  taking 
down  another  book. 

"  May  I  ask  the  nature  of  his  views?"  said  Israel. 

"  It  is  hardly  doing  justice  to  any  work  on  theology, 
to  select  only  specimen  pages,"  he  replied  ;  "  yet  I  will 
read  a  little  on  '  Atonement  in  its  Nature,'  —  a  small 
portion  of  Ballou's  Treatise  upon  the  Atonement :  — " 

" '  I  have  already  observed,  that  atonement  and 
reconciliation  are  the  same.  Reconciliation  is  a 
renewal  of  love,  and  love  is  the  law  of  the  spirit  of 
life  in  Christ  Jesus,  of  which  St.  Paul  speaks  in 
Romans  7  :  2»  by  which  he  was  made  free  from  the 
law  of  sin.  The  soul,  when  governed  by  the  law  of 
sin  which  is  in  the  members,  of  which  St.  Paul  speaks 
in  Romans  7  •'  23,  is  in  a  state  of  unreconciliation  to 
the  law  of  the  spirit.  And  it  is  by  the  force  and 
power  of  the  law  of  love  in  Christ,  that  the  soul  is 
delivered  from  the  government  of  the  law  of  sin  ;  the 
process  of  this  deliverance  is  the  work  of  atonement 
or  reconciliation. 

"  '  The  reader  will  now  see,  with  ease,  that  that 
power  which  causes  us  to  hate  sin,  and  love  holiness, 
is  the  power  of  Christ,  whereby  atonement  is  made. 
All  the  law  and  the  prophets  rested  on  this  spirit  of 


276  AMONG    THE    UNIVERSALISTS. 

love,  by  which  alone  they  can  be  fulfilled.  This 
eternal  spirit  of  love  is  the  word  or  logos,  which  was, 
in  the  beginning,  with  God,  and  was  God,  which  was 
hidden  behind  the  letter  of  the  law,  and  in  the  cabal- 
istic allegories  of  the  prophets,  until  it  brake  forth  in 
the  official  character  of  Jesus,  and  rent  the  vail  of  the 
temple  from  top  to  bottom.  Our  Saviour,  in  his  offi- 
cial character,  is  always  called  by  the  name  or  names, 
which  is,  or  are,  applicable  to  God,  manifest  in  the 
jlesh,  which  figuratively  means  the  letter  of  the  law  ; 
this  circumstance  will  fully  account  for  all  the  Scrip- 
tures which  my  opponent  would  urge  in  support  of 
Jesus  being  essentially  God. 

"  '  Christ  came  not  to  destroy  the  law  and  the  proph- 
ets, but  to  fulfil  them  ;  the  law  is  as  far  fulfilled  in  the 
soul,  as  it  is  brought  to  love  God,  in  his  adorable 
image,  Jesus ;  and  a  complete  fulfilment  of  the  law 
and  the  prophets  will  effect  love  in  every  soul,  on 
whom  the  law,  in  a  moral  sense,  is  binding. 
,  "  '  Let  it  be  asked,  by  what  means  are  we  brought  to 
love  God?  Answer:  "  We  love  him,  because  he  first 
loved  us."  God's  love  to  us  is  antecedent  to  our  love 
to  him,  which  refutes  the  notion  of  God's  receiving 
the  atonement ;  but  the  idea,  that  the  manifestation  of 
God's  love  to  us,  causes  us  to  love  him,  and  brings  us 
to  a  renewal  of  love,  (in  which  spirit  we  all  stood,  in 
our  spiritual  head,  Jesus,  before  formation ;  and  from 
which  wre  in  a  certain  sense  elapsed,  after  being  made 
subject  to  vanity)  is  perfectly  consonant  to  the  necessity 
of  atonement ;  it  shows  us  what  atonement  is,  and  the 
power  which  the  Mediator  must  have  and  exercise,  in 
order  to  reconcile  all  things  to  God.'  *  *  * 


CONVERSATION    WITH    A    UNIVEKSALIST.          277 

"  Again  he  says  :  '  Christians  have  for  a  long  time 
believed  that  the  temporal  death  of  Christ  made  an 
atonement  for  sin,  and  that  the  literal  blood  of  the 
man  who  was  crucified  has  efficacy  to  cleanse  from 
guilt ;  but  surely  this  is  carnality,  and  carnal  minded- 
ness,  if  I  have  any  knowledge  of  the  apostle's  meaning, 
where  he  says,  "  To  be  carnally  minded  is  death." 
The  letter  killeth,  but  the  spirit  giveth  life.  The 
apostles  were  made  able  ministers  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, not  of  the  letter,  but  of  the  spirit.  Christ  saith, 
u  except  ye  eat  my  flesh,  and  drink  my  blood,  ye  have 
no  life  in  you."  Must  we  undei'stand  this  in  a  literal 
sense?  If  we  do,  how  shall  we  understand  what  he 
further  says  of  this  matter?  "The  flesh  profiteth 
nothing ;  the  words  which  I  speak,  they  are  spirit 
and  they  are  life." 

u  '  The  apostasy  of  the  Jews  happened  in  consequence 
of  the  lips  of  the  priests  not  preserving  knowledge  ; 
they  fell  from  the  spirit  of  the  law,  were  lost  in  the 
wilderness  of  the  letter,  and  therefore  were  blinded 
indeed.  This  was  a  figure  of  the  more  dreadful 
apostasy  of  Christians,  as  were  various  circumstances 
recorded  in  the  Old  Testament.  The  Christian  apos- 
tasy happened  in  the  same  way ;  and  the  church  has 
been  led  into  the  wilderness  of  the  letter  by  an  hire- 
ling priesthood,  who  knew  nothing  of  the  spirit  of  the 
law;  who  have  preached,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  the 
letter  which  killeth,  in  room  of  the  spirit  which 
giveth  life. 

"  '  The  literal  death  of  the  man  Christ  Jesus  is  fig- 
urative ;  and  all  the  life  we  obtain  by  it,  is  by  learning 
what  it  represented.  The  literal  body  of  Jesus  repre- 


278  AMONG    THE    UNIVERSALISTS. 

sented  the  whole  letter  of  the  law,  with  all  the  allego- 
ries contained  in  the  word  of  prophecy.  The  death 
of  the  body  of  Jesus  represented  the  death  and 
destruction  of  the  letter,  when  the  spirit  comes  forth, 
bursting  the  veil  thereof,  which  is  represented  by  the 
resurrection  of  Jesus  from  the  dead.  Agreeebly  to 
this,  the  reader  will  understand  all  the  sacrifices, 
under  the  law,  by  which  the  high  priests  entered 
within  the  veil. 

"  '  Being  thus  enabled  to  pass  from  the  letter  to  the 
spirit,  we  see  what  death  it  is  which  is  the  proper 
sacrifice  for  sin,  and  what  blood  it  is  that  cleanses 
from  guilt.  The  blood  is  said  to  be  the  life  ;  it  is 
therefore  the  spirit  or  life  of  the  law  which  does  away 
sin,  and  gives  life  to  the  soul. 

"  '  I  am  sensible  there  are  thousands  who  profess 
Christianity,  who  are  blind  enough  to  object  and  say, 
"Then  the  Gospel  has  nothing  to  do  in  the  salvation 
of  mankind."  But  suffer  me  to  say,  the  Gospel  is 
nothing  but  the  spirit  of  the  law,  which  is  the  word, 
or  logos,  spoken  in  the  law,  brought  forth  from 
the  shadows  of  the  first  dispensation.  To  believe  in 
any  other  atonement  than  the  putting  off  the  old  man, 
with  his  deeds,  and  the  putting  on  of  the  new  man, 
which,  after  God,  is  created  in  righteousness  and  true 
holiness,  is  carnal  mindedness  and  death.' " 

"  I  see  now,"  commented  Israel,  "  the  view  of  the 
atonement  as  held  by  at  least  one  Universalist.  It 
strikes  me  that  the  spirit  of  the  great  atoning  sacrifice 
for  sin,  as  apparent  from  the  plainest  reading  of  the 
New  Testament,  is  pretty  well  killed  out  of  this 
explanation  of  the  letter." 


CONVERSATION    WITH    A    UNIVERSALIST.          279 

"  His  theory  makes  me  think  of  the  griffin  of  the 
ancients,"  he  continued,  "  which  was  part  eagle  and 
part  lion.  The  wings  and  beak  indicate  capacity  for 
a  flight  into  celestial  regions,  but  it  is  held  down  by  the 
lion.  The  creature  must  work  himself  out  of  the 
wilderness  of  sin  by  means  of  his  carnality  alone ; 
the  eagle  part  of  the  atonement  serves  only  as  an 
ornament  or  mere  impetus  in  the  work.  In  other 
words,  the  Christ  of  Ballou's  atonement  does  not 
rescue  the  sinful  man,  or  work  in  any  more  efficacious 
way  than  as  a  present  adornment  of  the  scheme  and 
an  animating  principle  in  its  execution.  After  all, 
the  lion  does  the  work.  It  is  the  man  who  moves." 

"Is  that  not  rational?"  said  the  captain,  "  if  you 
leave  all  the  work  of  redemption  to  either  the  eagle  or 
lion  alone  and  singly,  it  is  inconsistent  with  reason 
and  revelation.  I  like  your  figure.  Without  the 
eagle,  the  creature  would  be  but  a  beast  which  could 
never  fly  heavenward.  With  that  royal  bird,  it  finally 
is  enabled  to  plume  itself  for  an  immortal  flight.  The 
scheme  which  leaves  all  the  work  to  the  eagle  is  most 
dangerous,  in  my  view." 

"Did  Mr.  Ballou  believe  in  any  punishment  after 
death?"  now  asked  Israel. 

"  Upon  this  I  will  quote  his  words  from  another 
of  his  books,  entitled  '  Notes  on  the  Parables.' 

"'  St.  Paul  says,  "As  in  Adam  all  die,  even  so  in 
Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive."  And  he  is  particular 
in  stating  the  constitution  which  all  men  will  receive 
in  the  resurrection  of  which  he  speaks.  *  *  *  He 
makes  no  distinction.  He  says  nothing  of  the  good 
works  of  some  and  the  evil  works  of  others.  His 


28O  AMONG    THE    UNIVERSALISTS. 

testimony  is,  in  fact,  directly  against  any  distinction  or 
difference  m  that  immortal  state  ;  all  are  made  alive 
in  Christ,  and  as  this  life  is  spiritual,  incorruptible 
and  immortal,  this  testimony  agrees  with  the  testimony 
of  Jesus  to  the  Sadducees  on  the  same  subject  of  the 
resurrection,  in  which  he  says  that  in  the  resurrection 
they  are  the  children  of  God,  equal  unto  the  angels, 
and  can  die  no  more.  In  this  debate  with  the  Sad- 
duces,  Jesus  gave  no  intimation  that  any  would  rise 
from  the  dead  to  a  state  of  condemnation,  but  was 
particular  in  saying  that  all  live  unto  him.' " 

"  But  do  all  the  standard  Universalists  agree  with 
Mr.  Ballou  upon  this  point?"  continued  Israel. 

"No,  they  do  not.  Some  believe  in  a  limited  pun- 
ishment after  death.  Some  reject  the  word  'punish- 
ment,' and  interpret  the  same  idea  by  such  words  as 
'  the  necessary  consequences  of  sin.'  In  1827,  our 
people  were  considerably  agitated  upon  this  question, 
and  for  a  time  there  was  an  apparent  division  into 
Impartialists  and  Restorationists.  Of  these  latter,  the 
Reverend  Paul  Dean  wrote  thus  :  '  The  Restorationists 
maintain  that  a  just  retribution  does  not  take  place  in 
time  ;  that  the  conscience  of  the  sinner  becomes  cal- 
lous, and  does  not  increase  in  the  severity  of  its 
reprovings  with  the  increase  of  guilt ;  that  men  are 
invited  to  act  with  reference  to  a  future  life ;  that  if  all 
are  made  perfectly  happy  at  the  commencement  of  the 
next  state  of  existence,  they  are  nor  rewarded  accord- 
ing to  their  deeds ;  that  if  death  introduces  them  into 
heaven,  they  are  saved  by  death,  and  not  by  Christ ; 
and  if  they  are  made  happy  by  being  raised  from  the 
dead,  they  are  saved  by  physical,  and  not  by  moral 


CONVERSATION    WITH    A    UNIVERSALIST.  281 

means,  and  made  happy  without  their  agency  or 
consent ;  that  such  a  sentiment  weakens  the  motives 
to  virtue,  and  gives  force  to  the  temptations  of  vice ; 
that  it  is  unreasonable  in  itself,*  and  opposed  to  many 
passages  of  Scripture." 

"James  Kelly  of  England,"  continued  the  captain, 
"  whose  disciple  was  Mr.  Murray,  the  first  Universa- 
list  preacher  in  America,  believed  that  there  would  be 
'  a  resurrection  to  life,  and  a  resurrection  to  condem- 
nation—  that  believers  only  will  be  among  the  former 
who,  as  first  fruits,  and  kings  and  priests,  will  have 
part  in  the  first  resurrection,  and  shall  reign  with 
Christ  in  his  kingdom  of  the  Millennium  ;  that  unbe- 
lievers who  are  raised  after,  must  wait  the  manifestation 
of  the  Saviour  of  the  world  —  under  that  condemna- 
tion of  conscience  which  a  mind  in  darkness  and 
wrath  must  necessarily  feel ;  that  ultimately  every 
knee  shall  bow  —  and  every  tongue  confess,'  etc.  etc." 

"As  there  seems  to  be  a  diversity  of  opinion  upon 
essential  points  of  doctrine,  I  should  think  it  would  be 
difficult  to  know  who  should  truly  be  called  a  Univer- 
salist,  or  who  they  may  cast  out  as  heretical  from 
among  themselves,"  remarked  Israel. 

"Of  this,  let  me  read  you  from  Whittemore's  '  Plain 
Guide,'  "  said  the  captain. 

"  '  There  has  been  some  discussion  within  a  few 
years  past,  on  the  appellation  Universalist.  The 
question  seems  to  have  been,  whether  this  word  ought 
to  be  applied  to  all  who  believe  in  the  eventual  restora- 
tion of  all  mankind,  or  only  to  a  particular  class  of 
them.  On  this  subject  we  have  never  had  but  one 
opinion,  and  that  opinion  we  have  frequently  expressed, 


282  AMONG    THE    UNIVERSALISTS. 

namely :  that  all  persons,  who  truly  believe  in  the 
eventual  salvation  of  all  mankind  by  the  grace  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  are  Universalists.  This  is 
the  rule  laid  down  in  the  modern  history  of  Univer- 
salism.  For  instance,  Richard  Coppin  and  Jeremy 
White,  who  both  flourished  in  the  time  of  Cromwell, 
are  put  down  in  that  work  as  Universalists,  although 
they  differed  much  in  opinion  on  minor  points ;  the 
latter  being  a  Trinitarian,  and  a  believer  in  future 
punishment,  the  former  discarding  that  doctrine.'  " 

*'  I  like  that  definition  of  Whittemore's,"  said  Israel ; 
"  all  persons  who  truly  believe  in  the  eventual  salva- 
tion of  all  mankind,  by  the  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  are  Universalists.  The  more  you  strike  out 
'the  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,'  as  found  in  the 
Revealed  Word,  the  more  you  lose  your  glory  and 
your  power." 

"  So  think  I,"  responded  the  captain  ;  "  as  a  denom- 
ination, or  as  individuals,  we  have  a  transient  pretence 
of  a  power,  if  we  look  only  to  ourselves.  I  rejoice  in 
every  effbi't  which  is  put  forth  by  our  faithful  watch- 
men on  the  forecastle  of  the  good  ship  of  our  Zion,  to 
keep  the  doctrines  pure.  I  will  be  one  to  contend 
earnestly  for  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints.  If 
there  are  any  who  sail  under  our  colors,  who  believe 
not  in  this  Gospel,  let  them  go  out  from  us  and  enter 
the  service  after  their  own  heart.  The  sea  is  broad 
and  free  to  all." 

"Do  you  believe  in  any  punishment  subsequent  to 
death  ?  "  asked  Israel. 

"I  do  ;  but  my  idea  is  that  no  punishment  inflicted 
by  God  is  vindictive,  but  corrective.  It  is  intended 


CONVERSATION    WITH    A    UNIVERSALIST.          283 

only  for  the  good  of  the  erring,  and  not  to  appease  His 
wrath.  I  confess  that  those  words,  '  the  wrath  of  God,' 
smite  one  with  shame  that  an  intelligent  being  of  this 
enlightened  age  can  ever  consent  to  use  them.  How 
unworthy  the  divine  character  ! " 

"  But  we  must  not  be  wise  above  that  which  is  writ- 
ten," said  Israel ;  "  you  remember  that  there  is  much  in 
the  Bible,  the  New  Testament  as  well  as  the  Old,  which 
shows  the  possibility  of  the  literal  sense  of  such  words." 

"Not  when  we  compare  Scripture  with  Scripture, 
and  rightly  understand  the  context.  Many  such -an 
expression  is  a  Hebraism  or  Grecism." 

"This  last  interpretation  of  yours  is  a  convenient 
subterfuge  for  a  multitude  of  troublesome  passages," 
said  Israel,  with  a  smile. 

"  You  should  read  our  standard  authors,  and  learn 
from  them  an  explanation  of  the  apparently  difficult 
places." 

"To  whom  do  you  refer  the  origin  of  Universalism 
—  to  Niel  Douglass  of  Glasgow,  who  prayed  to  God 
for  the  devil,  as  'his  ancient  servant,'  or  to  Kelly?" 
continued  Israel. 

"  Now  you  are  far  astray  of  the  mark,"  answered 
the  captain  ;  "  the  first  Universalists  after  Christ  and 
his  apostles,  of  whom  we  have  any  distinct  account, 
were  Clemens  Alexandrinus,  president  of  the  Cat- 
echetical School  of  Theology  and  Philosophy  at  Alex- 
andria, Egypt,  and  Origen,  who  is  called  the  greatest 
scholar  of  the  early  church.  It  is  said  that  he  wrote 
six  thousand  volumes." 

"  I  now  remember,"  here  interposed  Israel,  "  that 
Origen  left  on  record  these  words  respecting  the  doc- 


284  AMONG    THE    UNIVKRSAI.ISTS. 

trine  of  the  final  salvation  of  all  men  :  '  The  sentiment 
ought  to  be  kept  secret  among  such  as  may  be  Jit 
to  receive  it,  and  not  publicly  exposed'  You  will 
find  this  in  '  Marsh's  Ecclesiastical  History. ' ' 

"  Is  that  so?  "  said  the  captain. 

"  It  is ;  and  I  think  Origen  was  a  man  of  g-ood 
sense  and  keen  perception.  If  I  were  a  believer  in 
the  doctrine,  I  would  not  let  my  left  hand  know  of  it. 
It  can  do  no  good,  and  may  do  infinite  evil,  if  untrue. 
Yet  I  have  no  doubt  that  many  benevolent,  large- 
hearted  apostles  of  the  orthodox  churches  secretlv 
believe  it,  or  at  least  devoutly  hope  it  may  be  true. 
It  is,  however,  a  faith  hidden  at  the  bottom  of  the  well 
of  their  hearts.  There  are  more  Universalists,  accord- 
ing to  Mr.  Whittemore's  definition,  than  the  world 
will  ever  dream  of." 

"  I  do  not  consent  to  your  statement  that  the  pro- 
mulgation of  the  truth  can  do  no  good.  In  the  first 
place,  it  does  a  man's  own  soul  good  to  be  perfectly 
honest  and  open.  Candor  is  the  fructifying  dew  of 
heaven,  which  enriches  the  soil  of  the  heart ;  while 
the  opposite  contracts  and  exhausts  its  powers  and 
graces.  The  law  of  giving  is  increase.  The  exercise 
which  brings  expansion  multiplies  capacity  and  re- 
source. Not  only  does  it  benefit  one's  self,  but  it 
blesses  others,  to  preach  this  truth  which  brings  a 
glorious  immortality  to  light,  through  our  Lord  and 
Saviour.  It  lifts  the  natural  veil  of  darkness  which 
surrounds  man,  and  affords  him  cheering  glimpses  of 
his  coming,  immortal  destiny  —  cheering  indeed  are 
they,  amidst  the  trials  and  privations  of  this  sin- 
stricken  state  of  existence.  With  this  view  men  are 


CONVERSATION    WITH    A    UNIVERSALIST.  285 

saved  from  religious  despondency,  blighting  infidelity, 
and  atheism." 

"  Perhaps  you  are  right,"  said  Israel ;  "yet  I  think 
there  is  danger  of  crying  peace  at  a  fearful  risk." 

"  Not  when  you  believe  that  every  man  shall  be 
judged  after  death,  according  to  his  works,"  said  the 
captain.  "  In  addition  to  these  names,"  he  went  on, 
"  I  must  not  omit  to  mention  among  the  fathers  of 
Universalism,  Titus,  Bishop  of  Bostra,  Gregory  Nys- 
sen,  Evagrius  Ponticus,  Didymus  the  Blind,  president 
of  the  Alexandrian  School,  Theodorus,  Bishop  of 
Mopsuestia,  and  others  of  the  fathers.  Universalism 
was  condemned  at  celebrated  councils,  which  proves 
that  it  continued  to  flourish.  In  1660,  appeared 
Jeremy  White,  chaplain  of  Cromwell,  who  published 
his  '  Restitution  of  All  Things.'  Archbishop  Tillot- 
son,  Dr.  Burnet,  and  William  Whiston  were  Univer- 
salists.  So  was  the  German  philosopher,  Kant." 

"  A  German  philosopher  never  stops  at  Christian 
Universalism,"  said  Israel. 

"  Petitpierre's  '  Treatise  on  the  Divine  Goodness,' 
was  first  published  at  Amsterdam,  Holland,"  he  con- 
tinued. 

"  There  is  the  bell  for  church,"  exclaimed  Israel. 

"  Yes ;  so  for  the  present,  our  conversation  must  be 
suspended,"  the  captain  concluded. 


286  AMONG   THE    UNIVERSAHSTS. 


CHAPTER  III. 

SECOND     SERMON. 

THE  minister  arose  and  announced  his  text  to  be 
"  He  hath  no  hands."  Is.  45  :  9.  These  words  are 
found  in  this  connective  reading — "Woe  unto  him 
that  striveth  with  his  Maker !  Let  the  potsherd  strive 
with  the  potsherds  of  the  earth.  Shall  the  clay  say 
to  him  that  fashioneth  it,  What  makest  thou  !  or  thy 
work,  He  hath  no  hands?" 

Israel  made  a  few  notes,  which  ran  in  this  wise  :  — 

"  The  ministry  of  Universalism  is  specially  the 
ministry  of  reconciliation  —  reconciliation  of  man  to 
his  Maker,  and  not  of  the  Maker  to  his  creature,  man. 
The  first  idea  was  worthy  of  the  most  exalted  char- 
acter of  God,  —  as  the  Creator  and  Sovereign  ;  the 
other  idea  fitted  those  whom  the  inspired  writer  had 
likened  to  a  potsherd  of  the  earth,  or  a  fragment  of  a 
broken  earthen  vessel.  * 

"  Addison  mentions  in  his  travels  in  Italy,  the  re- 
public of  Lucca,  which  has  the  word  Libertas  in  let- 
ters of  gold  over  the  only  gate  of  the  city.  The  whole 
administration  of  government  at  that  period  passed 
into  different  hands  every  two  months.  This  was  like 
those  people  who,  in  their  views  and  corresponding 
actions,  give  out  that  God  rules  one  day  and  they  the 


SECOND    SERMON.  287 

next ;  changing  about  the  administration  of  the  affairs 
of  the  world  with  every  other  moon.  In  some  things 
they  allow  a  divine  oversight  which  virtually  amounts 
to  government ;  in  others,  they  and  their  fellows  are 
all  and  in  all.  This  is  Liberty  in  golden  letters  over 
the  gateway  of  their  souls  ! 

"  God  either  rules  or  He  does  not.  Man  likewise 
is  a  sovereign,  or  he  is  not.  He  cannot  be  God  unless 
he  does  rule,  and  is  the  alpha  and  omega  of  power. 
Any  other  idea  at  once  sinks  his  nature  and  attributes 
to  a  level  beneath  even  that  occupied  by  man.  Jf  God 
rules  as  a  sovereign,  all  things  pertaining  to  his  plan 
of  government  are  absolutely  right,  perfect,  infinitely 
good.  Whatever  appears  to  the  contrary,  is  the  fault 
of  him  that  striveth  with  his  Maker.  For  God  to  rule 

and  yet  man  be  free,  is  wholly  inconsistent. 

****** 

"  There  are  many  in  the  Christian  world  who 
believe  that  God  created  all  men  for  salvation ;  that 
He  is  willing  that  they  should  be  saved,  and  has  pro- 
vided a  way  whereby  they  may  be  saved.  But  his 
creature,  man,  is  able  to  refuse  this  salvation,  go 
utterly  out  of  this  way,  and  be  finally  lost.  In  support 
of  this  theory  they  adduce  the  testimony  of  all  ages, 
which  they  claim  cannot  be  broken,  viz  :  the  lives  of 
bad  men,  reprobates,  those  who  create  only  evil,  and 
that  continually.  Of  any  one  of  these  men  they  use 
language  which  may  be  figuratively  translated  into  the 
simple  sentence,  '  He  hath  no  hands'  That  is,  there 
is  no  developed  power  in  him  to  do  anything  fitting 
and  right.  The  word  hands,  as  used  here,  I  take  to 
proceed  from  a  root  (this  preacher,  though  furnished 


288  AMONG    THE    UNIVERSAI.ISTS. 

from  all  the  schools,  never  used  a  Greek  or  Latin 
word  in  his  pulpit)  signifying  to  be  strong,  straight, 
right ;  which  would  give  the  sense  of  fitness  and  beauty. 
This  is  one  of  the  definitions  of  a  standard  lexicogra- 
pher. He  hath  no  power  to  do  that  which  is  straight, 
right,  and  beautiful ;  or  if,  having  the  power,  it  is  dead, 
and  hence  the  same  as  no  power.  He  hath  no  hands. 

"  These,  say  they,  are  the  bad  men  who,  like  their 
arch  prototype,  go  to  and  fro  on  the  earth,  seeking 
whom  they  may  devour,  breaking  into  the  houses  of 
innocent  citizens,  despoiling  men  of  their  goods,  lead- 
ing astray  the  unwary,  thirsting  for  blood,  and  per- 
forming all  those  numerous  deeds  which,  if  exposed 
and  adjudged,  send  the  performers  to  the  gallows  or 
the  place  of  confinement.  These  are  also  the  bad  men 
who  believe  and  teach  false  doctrines. 

"  These  are,  also,  they  affirm,  the  men  who  do  not 
join  '  our  church,'  nor  walk  on  our  plank,  and  refuse 
openly  and  boldly  to  acknowledge  fraternity  with 
those  who  walk  on  any  other.  These  all  are  they 
who  have  no  hands ;  the  one  class  as  well  as  the 
other ;  they  do  nothing  straight,  right,  and  beautiful ; 
or  if  they  do  accomplish  that  which  seems  to  have 
some  right  to  be  so  called,  it  is  all  filthy  rags.  All  of 
them  deserve  the  vengeance  of  eternal  damnation ; 
and  all  of  them  are  sure  to  get  this  just  reward  of 
their  works. 

"  Certainly,  we  may  here  pause  to  consider  that 
the  orthodox  hell  is  a  curious  place,  inhabited  by  such 
a  variety  of  elements.  It  almost  matches  for  curiosity 
the  orthodox  heaven,  which  is  composed  of  all  sorts 
of  persons  who,  in  this  life,  were  illustrations  of 


SECOND    SERMON.  289 

profound    convictions    of    the    utility    of  selfishness, 
crime,  and  unbelief. 

"  '  How  can  these  men  who  have  no  hands,'  cries 
the  Calvinist,  '  be  finally  saved,  after  a  life  of  such 
unqualified  depravity,  superadded  to  which  is  the 
most  heinous  unbelief  in  the  only  true  way  of  salva- 
tion !  They  have  neither  works  nor  faith.'  And 
every  one  of  these  exclaimers  has  some  example  to 
thrust  before  your  eyes  as  an  incontrovertible  evidence 
of  their  proposition  —  some  terrible  image  of  depravity 
in  human  shape  —  some  dragon  of  iniquity,  the  re- 
hearsal of  whose  career  is  enough  to  make  the  blood 
curdle  in  your  veins. 

"  Here,  my  hearers,  I  invite  you  to  let  the  anthem 
of  divinest  praise  go  up  from  your  hearts,  that  God, 
the  Maker  of  heaven  and  earth,  seeth  not  as  man 
seeth !  Praise  God !  let  all  the  people  praise  His 
great  and  holy  name  ! 

(A  deep,  serious  voice  in  the  congregation  responded 
Amen.) 

"  Cain  is  more  to  be  pitied  than  Abel,  because  he 
had  a  distorted  getting-up  —  a  deformed  spiritual, 
mental,  and  moral  organization.  We  say  not  this  to 
complain  or  strive  with  his  Maker — shall  the  clay  say 
to  him  that  fashioneth  it,  What  makest  thou?  or  thy 
work,  He  hath  no  hands  ?  This  also  was  for  the  glory 
of  God.  Cain  was  not  made  for  any  other  purpose. 
To  believe  that  God  made  him  for  endless  woe,  is  the 
most  daring  impiety.  '  Who  hath  declared  this  from 
ancient  time  ?  who  hath  told  it  from  that  time ! 
have  not  I  the  Lord  ?  and  there  is  no  God  else  besides 
me,  a  just  God  and  a  Saviour  ! ' 
19 


290  AMONG   THE    UNJVERSALISTS. 

"The  venomous  snake  of  the  recesses  of  the  north- 
ern rocks,  the  slimy  reptiles  of  the  dank  ravines  of  the 
tropical  lands,  the  grim  alligators  basking  in  the  waters 
under  the  tree  trunks  which  can  scarcely  be  distin- 
guished from  the  gigantic  boa  constrictor  that  winds 
around  them  —  these  all  are  His  works.  These  all  are 
creatures  of  that  creation  which  God  called  very  good, 
•alike  with  the  bird  of  most  beauteous  plumage  or  of 
the  sweetest  voice,  —  alike  with  the  white-robed,  peace- 
ful lamb,  or  the  patient  and  tiseful  beast  of  burden.  A 
divine  purpose  is  answered  by  the  fierce  lion  of  Bili- 
dulgerid,  the  leopard  from  Hindostan,  the  unicorn 
from  Thibet,  the  rhinoceros  and  river-horse  from 
Senegal,  the  antelope  from  the  Zaara,  the  reindeer  from 
polar  latitudes,  the  elephant  from  Ceylon  or  Siam,  the 
ibex  of  Angora,  the  bison,  buffalo,  the  camelopard, 
the  quagga,  the  zebra,  and  chamois.  These,  too,  with 
others,  may  be  said  to  be  representative  of  various 
tribes  and  peoples  of  the  earth,  of  whom  it  is  written : 
'Look  unto  me  and  be  ye  saved  all  ye  ends  of  the 
earth  ! '  In  that  glorious  day,  '  The  wolf  also  shall 
dwell  with  the  lamb,  and  the  leopard  shall  lie  down 
with  the  kid ;  and  the  calf  and  the  young  lion  and  the 
fatling  together ;  and  a  little  child  shall  lead  them. 
And  the  cow  and  the  bear  shall  feed ;  their  young  ones 
shall  lie  down  together :  and  the  lion  shall  eat  straw 
like  the  ox.  *  *  They  shall  not  hurt  nor  destroy, 
in  all  my  holy  mountain  :  for  the  earth  shall  be  full  of 
the  knowledge  of  the  Lord,  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea.' 

"  In  wisdom  hast  thou  made  them  all,  O  my  God ! 
Do  you  wonder  that  the  saint  Chrysostom  was  called 
in  all  history,  '  the  golden-mouthed  1*  For  it  was  he 


SECOND    SERMON.  29! 

who    was    accustomed    to   say,    'Praise  God  for  all 
things  ! '     He  saw  nothing  which  had  no  hands  ! 

"  My  hearers,  I  tested  this  glorious  view  of  man- 
kind, fallen  man,  in  my  boyhood.  Suffer  the  word 
of  narration  for  an  interlude.  I  used  to  recite  some 
of  my  preparatory  lessons  in  the  classics  to  a  clergy- 
man, who,  I  believe  was  the  most  Christ-like  in  his 
thinking  and  doing  of  any  man  I  ever  knew.  I  was 
with  him  in  his  study,  and  he  had  been  pausing  to 
recite  a  passage  in  the  life  of  Christ,  one  peaceful  day 
of  the  decline  of  summer,  when  our  attention  was 
arrested  by  rude  noises  in  the  street  below,  accompa- 
nied by  a  volley  of  oaths  which  made  one  shudder. 
We  looked  from  the  window.  There  stood  a  man, 
his  grey  hairs  falling  down  upon  his  threadbare  coat, 
his  eyes  flashing  an  almost  unearthly  fire,  while  his 
hands  clenched  a  bottle.  Several  boys  were  endeavor- 
ing to  get  it  from  him.  My  teacher  opened  the  shut- 
ter, and  called  out.  One  of  the  boys  said,  '  It  is  only 
that  old  brute  (calling  the  name  of  a  notorious  man 
of  that  town).  He  wants  his  bottle  so  as  to  beat  his 
wife,  and  starve  his  children  again.'  The  wretched 
man  looked  at  them,  then  looked  up  to  our  window. 
He  saw  the  well-known  face  of  the  clergyman,  and 
raising  his  clenched  fist,  shook  it  towards  him  while 
he  screeched  out  '  Go  to  hell!' 

"My  friend  went  quickly  down.  I  next  saw  him  in 
the  street  with  his  hand  upon  the  arm  of  the  wretched 
man.  Then  he  led  him  within,  where  I  found  them 
in  the  grandest  room  of  the  house,  the  drunkard  in  a 
luxuriant  chair  near  the  centre  of  the  floor,  my  friend 
walking  up  and  down,  without  speaking.  The  drunk- 


292  AMONG    THE    UNIVERSALISTS. 

arcl  trembled  like  a  leaf,  as  he  sat  there,  muttering  and 
moaning  by  turns.  At  length  the  good  man  went  up 
to  the  wretched  wanderer,  and  said  in  his  own  low 
and  compassionate  voice,  '  Brother  ! '  '  Going  after 
an  officer,  I  suppose,'  was  the  response,  as  he  ventured 
to  cast  up  a  stealthy,  fiery  glance.  'No,  I  cannot 
accuse  my  brother,  however  much  he  may  deserve  it. 
Thou  art  a  broken  vessel,  but  what  am  I,  that  it  is 
not  as  well  with  you  as  with  me !  God  made  you. 
God  is  our  Father.  His  name  is  also  Love.' 

"  '  No,  it  is  not,'  said  the  poor  man,  with  an  oath, 
'  else  he  would  not  have  let  me  come  to  this ! '  Then 
he  went  on  to  tell  how  he  was  once  the  son  of  respect- 
able parents,  how  he  grew  up,  by  dint  of  much 
striving,  a  temperate  and  honest  youth.  The  strife 
was  often  terrible,  for  his  mother  had  thirsted  for 
liquor  before  he  was  born.  But  it  did  not  get  the 
mastery  till,  during  a  severe  sickness,  his  physician 
held  the  draught  to  his  feverish  lips.  He  took  it,  day 
after  day,  according  to  direction,  till  he  was  lost. 

"  '  Since  then,'  said  he  '  twice  have  I  been  in  the 
house  of  correction  ;  once,  a  term  of  three  years,  in  the 
penitentiary  of  Columbus,  Ohio,  and  once  in  a  lunatic 
asylum  of  Massachusetts.  What  have  I  noi  suffered 
and  what  have  not  others  suffered  on  my  account ! ' 

"  The  good  man  listened ;  there  were  tears  in  his 
eyes  ;  he  only  said,  '  Poor  man  !  thanks  be  to  God  that 
he  has  provided  a  place  of  purification.'  The  other 
thought  he  alluded  to  the  house  of  correction,  and  said 
as  much  with  an  oath  of  defiance. 

"  '  No,'  said  my  friend,  '  I  was  thinking  of  heaven, 
your  own  home ! 


SECOND    SERMON.  293 

"  '  Heaven !  what  have  I  to  do  with  that  place  !  I 
have  been  damned  to  hell  more  than  a  million  times. 
I  have  bought  up  stock  in  that  company,  years  ago  ! ' 
The  poor  fellow  actually  laughed. 

"  '  He  shall  let  go  my  captives,  not  for  price  nor 
reward,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,'  repeated  the  clergy- 
man, as  to  himself. 

"  The  poor  man  stayed  in  that  house  for  days, 
during  which  time  he  was  used  like  a  brother  indeed. 
Words  of  love,  of  an  almost  maternal  tenderness,  were 
spoken  to  him.  Prayer  was  offered-  without  ceasing 
in  his  behalf,  and  yet  he  was  not  worried  with  prayer, 
nor  with  advice.  When  he  went  out  again  from  that 
door,  he  was  clothed  anew  and  partially  sane.  Money 
was  furnished  him  with  which  to  go  to  a  distant  city. 
He  went,  provided  with  a  letter  of  introduction  to  an 
estimable  and  truly  benevolent  man,  written  by  the 
clergyman's  own  hand. 

"  For  some  time,  nothing  was  heard  from  him.  At 
the  expiration  of  about  four  years,  a  gentleman  called 
to  see  my  friend,  the  clergyman.  He  was  unrecog- 
nized ;  but  it  was  the  once  wretched  drunkard.  He 
had  come  to  tell  his  benefactor  how  much  he  owed 
to  his  instrumentality.  '  That  day  when  you  took  me 
in,  poor  wretch  that  I  was  —  was  the  day  of  my  new 
birth ! '  he  said,  '  but  I  never  broke  down  till  you 
spoke  of  its  being  possible  for  me  to  go  to  heaven. 
When  you  called  it  my  home,  my  own  home,  I  began 
to  think  out  of  another  heart.  I  seemed  to  be  some- 
body else  beside  the  outcast  I  had  been.  All  at  once, 
I  said  to  myself,  "  If  I  am  going  to  heaven,  I  must  fix 
up  myself  or  I  shall  be  ashamed  when  I  get  there. 


294  AMONG    THE    UNIVERSALISTS. 

But  I  tell  you  as  long  as  I  believed  that  I  was  going 
to  hell,  I  didn't  care  to  behave  any  other  way  than  the 
worst,  for  that  was  good  enough  for  such  a  home  as  I 
was  going  to.  Then,  after  a  day  or  two,  God  did  not 
look  to  me  as  He  used  to.  I  did  not  hate  His  name 
as  I  had  done.  It  appeared  to  me  if  He  had  made 
such  a  man  as  yourself,  sir,  who  could  pity  me,  that 
His  own  Son  certainly  would  not  turn  me  off.  Then 
I  loved  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  he  seemed  to  lay 
His  hand  on  my  head  just  when  you  did  as  I  sat  there 
in  your  room,  one  night.  After  that,  I  felt  willing  to 
go  to  heaven,  though  I  knew  I  wasn't  fit  at  all ! ' 

"  My  hearers  !  that  man  afterwards  became  a  citizen 
of  usefulness  and  honor.  I  knew  when  he  died.  Good 
people  mourned  for  him,  and  the  poor  bewailed  his 
loss  —  for  he  had  learned  to  pity  them.  His  love  was 
great,  for  he  had  been  forgiven  much.  Think  you  that 
clergyman  who  saw  in  the  poor  outcast,  a  brother  who 
should  one  day  heir  a  glorious  immortality  —  a  child 
of  God  of  whom  it  could  not,  it  should  not  be  said, 
'  He  hath  no  hands  !  but  rather  '  He  hath  hands ' — 
hands  which  are  capable  of  a  work,  straight,  right,  and 
beautiful,  hands  which  shall  one  day  write  the  blessed 
name  of  Immanuel  upon  hearts  of  his  stricken  fellow- 
man,  —  think  you  he  could  not  say  '  In  the  Lord  have 
I  righteousness  and  strength.  In  His  word  do  I  hope, 
for  his  promises  are  Yea  and  Amen  in  Christ  Jesus  ! ' 

"Yes  friends,  even  to  Him  shall  men  come,  and  all 
that  are  incensed  against  him  shall  be  ashamed.  All 
that  say  of  any  of  His  creatures,  however  sin-stricken. 
'  He  hath  no  hands,'  shall  be  ashamed.  All  that  de- 
spise the  lowest,  the  meanest,  th'e  most  apparently 


SECOND    SERMON.  295 

worthless  of  God's  creatures,  shall  be  ashamed.  They 
shall  call  on  the  rocks  to  cover  their  confusion  in  that 
day  of  power  when  every  knee  shall  bow,  and  every 
tongue  shall  confess  to  the  glory  of  God  ! 

"  Do  you  ask  me,  '  What  will  become  of  those 
wretched  souls  who  do  not  repent  in  this  life,  who 
multiply  their  transgressions  to  their  latest  breath  ? ' 
You  will  observe  in  a  few  verses  preceding  my  text, 
that  it  reads,  '  That  they  may  know  from  the  rising  of 
the  sun,  and  from  the  west,  that  there  is  none  besides 
me.  I  am  the  Lord  and  there  is  none  else  ! '  This 
I  take  to  be  a  beautiful  illustration  of  the  truth  of  the 
boundless  provision  for  man's  redemption  from  igno- 
rance and  idolatry  of  false  gods,  or  evil  passions. 
Some  will  be  led  to  acknowledge  Him  in  the  land 
where  the  sun  rises,  or  in  the  early  portion  of  their 
existence  —  in  this  life  ;  while  others  will  not  confess 
him  till  they  reach  the  west  —  that  is  the  world  beyond 
which  the  sun  of  this  life  goes  down  —  the  continua- 
tion of  the  endless  existence. 

"  There  Christ  preaches  unto  the  spirits  who  are  in 
prisons  of  ignorance,  misconception,  and  sin.  He 
opens  the  door  of  their  souls,  and  sets  his  captives  free, 
without  price  or  reward.  I  remember  being  greatly 
impressed,  in  my  youth,  by  reading  of  the  return  of  a 
celebrated  conqueror,  to  one  of  the  continental  cities, 
where  the  inhabitants  exhibited  their  joy  by  holding 
up  birds  in  cages,  and  giving  them  their  liberty  as  he 
passed  in  triumphal  procession !  But  what  is  this  to 
that  release  of  the  captive  children  of  men  from  their 
cages  of  sin  and  blindness  of  mind,  in  honor  of  the 
victorious  march  of  Him  who  is  described  in  the  vision 


296  AMONG    THE    UNIVERSALISTS. 

of  the  apocalypse :  '  And  I  saw,  and  behold  a  white 
horse :  and  he  that  sat  on  him  had  a  bow ;  and  a 
crown  was  given  unto  him  :  and  he  went  forth  con- 
quering and  to  conquer ! 

'  Hosanna  to  our  conquering  King, 

All  hail,  incarnate  love ! 
Ten  thousand  songs  and  glories  wait 
To  crown  thy  head  above  I 

'Thy  vict'ries  and  thy  deathless  fame 
Through  the  wide  world  shall  run, 
And  everlasting  ages  sing 

The  triumphs  thou  hast  won!' 

"  When  you  contemplate  this  glorious  event  of  the 
setting  free  of  the  captives,  can  you  not  newly  under- 
stand why  the  angels  veil  their  faces  before  the  bright- 
ness of  His  ineffable  glory,  and  in  honor  of  the  triune 
name,  cry,  '  Holy,  holy,  holy,  art  Thou,  Lord  God 
Almighty,  which  art  and  which  wast  and  which  is  to 
come.  Holy,  holy,  holy  is  the  Lord  of  Hosts ;  the 
whole  earth  is  full  of  Thy  glory.  Thou  art  worthy, 
O  Lord,  to  receive  glory,  and  honor,  and  power :  for 
Thou  hast  created  all  things,  and  for  Thy  pleasure 
they  are  and  were  created  !  ' 

"Dare  any  of  you,  then,  look  on  your  fellow-man 
and  refuse  to  recognize  the  divine  image  which  he 
wears  —  that  photograph  of  infinite  possibilities  of  joy  ! 
Durst  any  one  of  you  go  forth  from  this  house  of  our 
God  to-day,  and  see  a  single  fellow  being,  no  matter 
who  or  what  he  is  and  has  been,  and  say  '  He  hath  no 
hands  ! '  all  capacity  for  making  strong,  straight,  right, 
and  beautiful  paths  for  his  feet  is  gone  !  Dare  you 


SECOND    SERMON.  297 

cast  eyes  of  scorn  and  hate  on  degraded  and  fallen 
woman  ?  Dare  you  say  of  her,  that  mournfulest  knell 
of  the  soul — 'No  more!  No  more  in  the  image  of 
God!' 

"  Dare  you  pass  by,  beyond  the  side  of  reconcilia- 
tion with  him  who  has  injured  you  ;  who  has  deeply, 
lastingly,  irrecoverably  wronged  you  ?  Dare  you  say 
of  your  bitterest  foe,  'He  hath  no  hands?'  Never 
again  can  he  make  straight,  right,  and  beautiful  paths 
for  my  feet !  Perhaps  he  never  will  in  this  life  ;  but 
what,  after  all,  is  this  first  chapter  of  existence  —  but 
a  span  long !  You  cannot  evade  the  truth  that  an 
eternity  is  before  you,  where  God  is  the  visible  pres- 
ence which  draws  all  men  to  Himself.  The  sooner 
you  are  in  a  state  that  can  be  assimilated  to  the  divine, 
the  more  glorious  your  hereafter — for  one  star  difter- 
eth  from  another  star  in  glory.  You  cannot  be  in 
this  state  unless  love  reigns  —  a  perfect  reconciliation 
to  your  Maker  possesses  your  heart  and  life,  so  that 
all  His  work  shall  appear  harmonious,  beautiful,  infi- 
nitely right.  '  Where  we  can't  unriddle,  we  must  learn 
to  trust.'  There  is  '  seeming  evil '  here,  but  from  it  we 
must  only  '  educe  the  good.'  A  heart  full  of  the  love 
of  God  will  not  pause  in  the  unhallowed  indulgence 
of  reasoning  strife  with  the  dear  Father  concerning  His 
incomprehensible  work. 

"  As  the  river  Clitumnus  was  fabled  to  turn  all 
things  white  which  drank  of  its  waters,  so  let  your 
souls  drink  of  the  river  of  God,  whose  fountain  is 
exhaustless  love,  till  they  become  purified  and  meet 
for  the  saints'  inheritance  in  light." 


298  AMONG    THE   UNIVERSALISTS. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

THREE   MONTHS   LATER. 

"  SINCE  you  insist  upon  my  opinions  of  what  I  have 
heard  from  Universalist  pulpits,  and  read  in  their 
books  of  standard  theology,"  said  Israel,  "  I  must  say, 
with  your  leave,  that  it  seems  to  me  I  find,  at  least, 
one  decided  blemish." 

"  What  is  that?  "  quickly  rejoined  Captain  Brewster. 

"  They  too  freely  deal  in  hard  words  against  those 
who  differ  from  themselves,  and  especially  against 
what  are  called  Orthodox  Christians."  ' 

"Yes,"  said  Ackerman,  "I  have  noticed  that,  as 
Tillotson  says,  'The  scoffers  twit  the  Christians.'  It 
is  inelegant  as  rhetoricians,  insignificant  as  philoso- 
phers, unworthy  as  Christians.  Great  men,  conscious 
of  bearing  the  precious  archives  of  truth,  can  afford  to 
be  more,  magnanimous." 

"  I  have  sometimes  thought,"  continued  Israel,  "  that 
they  believed  in  what  amounted  to  a  hell  for  their 
opponents." 

"  Their  pious  imprecations,  as  well  as  those  which 
are  impious,  are  often  very  amusing,"  Ackerman 
went  on. 

"  I  listen  to  you,  sirs,"  said  the  captain,  "  as  the 
angels  must  have  heard  the  buccaneers  who  used  to 


THREE  MONTHS  LATER.  299 

pray  before  going  upon  their  piratical  excursions. 
You  rave  at  my  people  with  a  commendable  zeal  for 
godliness." 

His  genial  smile  disarmed  the  severity  of  his  words. 

"  He  thinks  us  far  gone  in  the  sin  of  prejudice," 
said  Ackerman. 

"  No  ;  I  confess  the  justice  of  your  criticism  in  part. 
But  it  is  easily  accounted  for.  Many  of  our  preachers, 
and  nearly  all  whose  words  have  become  our  stand- 
ards, were  men  converted  to  Universalism  from  the 
orthodox  denominations.  They  had  been  Baptists  or 
Congregationalists.  It  was  impossible  that  they  should 
entirely  lose  the  marks  of  their  early  habits,  associa- 
tions, and  education.  No  man  is  so  bitter  to  the  Uni- 
versalist  as  the  real  Baptist ;  and  several  of  our  leading 
lights  were  Baptist  preachers.  Our  young  ministers 
read  their  works  and  catch  their  spirit.  It  is  a  pity, 
but  a  fault,  considering  its  origin,  which  cannot  at 
once  be  rectified.  As  our  denomination  is  more  thor- 
oughly developed,  and  hence  becomes  more  self- 
contained,  we  shall  show  better  manners." 

Ackerman  laughed  heartily  as  he  said,  "  You  have 
extricated  yourself,  I  confess." 

"There  is  truth  as  well  as  wit  in  what  he  says," 
added  Israel. 

"Certainly,"  said  Ackerman;  "if  you  would  get 
models  of  bad  temper  and  its  exhibition,  consult  what 
artists  would  call  evangelical  studies," 

"  The  sea-serpent  envy  is  master  of  the  situation," 
said  the  captain  ;  "  but  let  us  pass  on  to  number  two  — 
for  I  dare  say  the  objections  stand  along  the  coast  of 
your  mind  like  a  forest  of  masts." 

"  Wherever  we  see  Universalism  in  the  ascendant 


300  AMONG    THE    UNIVERSALISTS. 

in  any  community,"  said  Israel,  u  is  there  not  apparent 
an  absence  of  good  order,  such  as  observance  of  the 
Sabbath,  and  all  those  evidences  of  a  God-fearing 
people  that  mark  a  really  desirable  home?" 

"  Where  Universalism  goes  to  seed,"  said  Acker- 
man,  "  the  place  is  unsightly  and  barren  of  good  things." 

"  That  atheism,"  replied  Captain  Brewster,  "brings 
forth  some  such  results,  I,  myself,  have  noticed.  But 
Universalism, — true.  Christian  Universalism  is  emi- 
nently productive  of  good  fruits.  What  people  of 
modern  times  have  done  more  for  temperance  than 
have  Universalists.  Some  of  the  noblest  advocates  of 
that  holy  cause,  you  will  remember,  are  from  our 
ranks.  Besides,  who  giveth  more  liberally  to  the  poor 
and  distressed  than  the  Christian  Universalist?  His 
heart  overflows  with  the  cream  of  human  kindness, 
and  his  purse  equals  his  heart  so  far  as  it  is  endowed. 
If  I  were  in  trouble,  without  name  or  credentials, 
without  an  inkhorn  and  pen  whereby  my  benefactor 
could  be  reported,  think  you,  sirs,  I  would  apply  to  the 
Calvinists?  As  soon  would  I  ask  for  a  hug  from  a 
bear,  or  a  kiss  from  a  gorilla.  Sooner  would  I  expect 
to  double  Cape  Horn  in  a  wash-tub,  as  to  successfully 
circumnavigate  their  hearts." 

"  The  quality  of  your  mercy  is  not  strained,"  said 
Ackerman. 

"  Nor  skimmed,"  said  Israel ;  "but  his  figure  of  the 
tub  reminds  me  that  Hercules,  when  he  went  to  unbind 
Prometheus,  sailed  the  length  of  the  ocean  in  an 
earthen  pot.  Mr.  Locke,  the  metaphysician,  says  that 
this  represents  human  nature,  and  describes  Christian 
resolution  that  saileth  in  the  frail  bark  of  the  flesh, 
through  the  waves  of  the  world.  Now  the  captain's 


THREE    MONTHS    LATER.  30! 

Christian  resolution  in  his  earthen  wash-tub  should 
accomplish  wonders  with  these  Calvinists,  who,  in- 
deed, have  often  shown  the  disciples,  as  did  the 
barbarians  to  St.  Paul,  '  much  kindness.'" 

"  Yes,"  said  Ackerman  ;  "  the  examples  of  the  true 
liberality  of  the  straitest  sects  are  not  to  be  forgotten." 

"  They  cannot  be  forgotten,"  said  the  captain,  "  since 
they  are  paraded  beyond  all  chance  of  escape  from  the 
world's  recognition." 

"  They  are  known  also  for  many  acts  of  private 
benevolence  among  them,"  said  Israel. 

"  We  do  not  boast,  like  other  denominations,"  con- 
tinued the  captain, *but  we  raise  moneys  for  denomina- 
tional and  charitable  purposes,  equal  in  amount,  to  say 
the  least,  with  those  who  blow  their  own  horns  the 
loudest." 

"  My  next  objection,"  said  Israel,  "  is  that  a  large 
proportion  of  those  who  are  numbered  among  your 
people  do  not  believe  the  authority  of  the  Bible,  and 
hence  reject  the  most  precious  Christian  doctrine  of 
the  divine  mission  of  Christ." 

"When  all  the  other  Christian  denominations  have 
cut  off  their  left  wing,  or  changed  it  to  match  the  right 
one,  and  so  make  a  perfect  flight  in  an  imperfect 
world^  to  heaven,  we  will  accept  your  criticism  in  self- 
abasement.  He  that  is  without  sin,  let  him  begin  to 
stone  us.  Let  that  religious  sect  which  has  no  offend- 
ing members,  cut  off  ours,"  answered  the  captain, 
curtly  ;  ';  what  next?  ". 

"  Nothing  more  at  present,"  concluded  Israel,  "  ex- 
cept that  your  doctrine  has  much  that  the  Bible  can  be 
adduced  in  disproof." 

"What  doctrine  has  not?"  concluded  the  other. 


AMONG   THE    UNITARIANS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

PRELIMINARY   OBSERVATIONS. 

WHEN  Israel  Knight  had  progressed  as  far  as  the 
foregoing  in  his  investigations  of  the  existing  forms 
of  the  embodiment  of  religious  truth,  his  inclinations 
took  him  to  the  pale  of  the  Unitarian  belief.  He  was 
not  yet  satisfied  that  he  had  found  the  "City "for 
which  he  sought. 

Some  one  told  him  that  there  was  really  no  differ- 
ence between  the  Unitarians  and  Universalists,  only 
"on  the  social  plane;"  but,  as  he  saw  considerable 
apparent  distinction  in  their  operations,  he  wished  to 
learn  for  himself.  This  wish  was,  in  part,  stimulated 
by  circumstances.  About  this  time,  it  was  his  fortune 
to  reside  in  the  family  of  an  eminent  Unitarian  cler- 
gyman. He  thought  that  a  better  opportunity  for  his 
purpose  could  not  have  been  presented. 

His  first  observations  were  practical.  In  this  family 
he  soon  noticed  a  young  girl  who  acted  the  part  of  an 
assistant  domestic.  He  thought  her  the  ugliest  child 
he  had  ever  seen.  This  impression  of  her  face  was 
not  a  little  assisted  by  frequent  exhibitions  of  an  irras- 
cible  temper.  Conversations  which  were  held  in  the 
study  and  parlor  of  the  clergyman  were  interrupted 
or  broken  up  by  her  furious  outbursts  of  passion  on 

3°3 


304  AMONG    THE    UNITARIANS. 

occasion  of  the  slightest  crossing  of  her  will.  In  her 
unreason  she  seemed  insane.  In  her  vicious  propen- 
sities there  was  "method  in  her  madness."  She  was 
strangely  ingenious  to  accomplish  wrong  against  her 
benefactors,  who  were  the  younger  ladies  of  the  family. 

Israel  could  not  but  wonder  what  had  induced  these 
refined,  intellectual,  and  amiable  persons  to  undertake 
such  a  disagreeable  charge  —  and  concluded,  at  first, 
that  this  greatness  of  torment  had  been  thrust  upon 
them  by  unavoidable  circumstances.  Certajnly  nothing 
less  could  have  brought  such  a  blight  upon  that  else 
well-ordered  and  elegant  home. 

The  history  of  her  introduction  to  that  household 
transpired  in  this  account  by  one  of  the  daughters : 
"  Some  time  after  leaving  school,  we  found  a  consider- 
able portion  of  our  time  unoccupied  by  any  sufficiently 
absorbing  object  of  interest.  We  attended  to  our 
music,  we  read,  visited,  and  so  forth,  but  we  required 
something  more  stimulating.  Our  lives  were  getting 
too  same  to  suit  us.  An  idea  struck  one  of  us,  which 
all  welcomed.  We  immediately  applied  to  father  for 
permission  to  execute  it.  This  was  to. go  abroad  and 
perfect  our  knowledge  of  the  French  language  in  a 
celebrated  pensionnat  of  Paris,  where  were  already 
some  of  our  friends  and  correspondents.  He  asked 
for  a  day's  reflection  upon  our  project,  though  we 
hardly  believed  he  would  give  it  many  thoughts,  as  he 
was  writing  all  that  day.  He  only  took  time  to  dignify 
his  assent,  as  we  thought.  That  evening  he  called  us 
to  his  study,  and  said  he  had  concluded  to  recommend 
an  object  of  pursuit,  which  in  point  of  interest  and 
real  use  to  us,  he  thought  far  outweighed  the  other 


PRELIMINARY   OBSERVATIONS.  305 

plan.  Had  we  sufficient  confidence  in  his  affection  for 
us  to  allow  his  judgment  to  prevail?  he  asked.  We 
replied  unqualifiedly  our  affirmative. 

"  The  French  boarding-school,  then,  would  be  given 
up  for  the  time,  and  he  would  bring  home,  on  the 
morrow,  the  new  object  of  interest  and  action.  He 
declined  to  tell  us  what  it  was.  That  night,  before 
we  separated,  he  read  to  us  the  beatitudes  in  Matthew's 
Gospel.  Upon  the  words,  '  Blessed  are  the  merciful, 
for  they  shall  obtain  mercy,'  he  dwelt  with  a  peculiar 
tenderness  of  spirit ;  and  I  thought  I  had  never  heard 
him  explain  so  clearly  the  nature  of  that  beautiful  sen- 
timent. The  next  day  we  were  all  expectation.  He 
went  away  accompanied  by  our  mother,  and  it  seemed 
to  us  they  were  gone  a  long  while.  But  at  last  we 
heard  the  sound  of  the  carriage-wheels  in  our  yard, 
and  we  ran  down  to  meet  them,  expecting  to  hear 
about  an  order  for  a  new  piano,  a  sewing-machine,  or 
a  complete  set  of  artist's  materials,  when  we  discov- 
ered that  they  were  accompanied  by  a  strange  child. 

"  Father  introduced  her  to  us  as  the  new  object  of 
interest  and  action.  They  had  found  her  in  an  asylum 
whose  authorities  had  come  to  consider  her  '  hopeless,' 
'  incorrigible,'  and  '  irreclaimable,'  and  were  about  to 
cast  her  upon  a  reform  school.  Her  name  was  Mag- 
gie, though  they  said  it  should  have  been  Magdalene, 
for  she  had  as  many  evil  spirits  as  that  personage. 
'  Then,'  said  father,  '  there  is  hope  for  her  ;  her  proto- 
type became  a  follower  of  Jesus  ;  let  me  have  her  for 
a  trial.'  She  has  been  with  us  but  a  few  weeks." 

"Are  you  not  disheartened  in  the  pursuit  of  such 
an  object  of  interest  and  action  ?  "  asked  Israel. 
20 


306  AMONG    THE    UNITARIANS. 

"Not  yet,"  she  answered;  "she  has  not  sinned 
against  us  the  seventy  and  seven  times." 

"  Not  more  than  fifty,"  said  one  of  the  sisters. 

"Your  system?  Allow  me  to  inquire,  if  you 
please,"  continued  Israel. 

"Love,  forbearance,  long-suffering." 

"  Let  patience  have  her  perfect  work." 

"Believeth  all  things,  endureth  all  things,  hopeth 
all  things." 

"  And  when  we  get  faint  in  the  pursuit,"  said  the 
eldest,  "we  apply  to  papa,  who  reads  to  us  the  beati- 
tudes anew.  Then  he  points  us  to  Jesus,  and  tells  us 
where  we  may  get  new  strength." 

"Can  you  make  the  sacrifice,  both  of  Paris  and  your 
own  ease,  without  one  pang  of  regret?" 

"  Father  has  brought  our  work  to  appear  to  us  so 
magnificent  in  comparison  tb  any  selfish  enjoyment, 
that  we  are  ashamed  to  ever  speak  of  what  we  might 
enjoy  abroad  now.  Even  when  one  of  us  received  a 
'  black  eye '  from  the  blow  of  her  hand,  the  other  day, 
as  she  was  learning  to  read,  we  all  agreed  —  that  is, 
after  a  few  moments  of  confusion  succeeded  by  some 
of  calmer  reflection  —  that  it  was  a  good  thing  to  do 
alms  without  wishing  to  be  seen  of  men." 

Here  a  pleasant  ripple  of  merriment  ran  through 
the  group,  and  the  conversation  ended.  Afterwards, 
the  clergyman,  when  alone  with  Israel,  said,  "  Perhaps 
we  give  less  for  denominational  pui;poses  than  almost 
all  other  sects  ;  but  we  encourage  all  forms  of  unosten- 
tatious benevolence.  We  believe  in  striving  to  be 
Christ-like  —  to  build  up  character,  less  by  societies 
and  groups  of  laudatory  selfism  which  centre  around 


PRELIMINARY    OBSERVATIONS.  307 

a  creed,  than  by  deeds  of  simple  justice  to  our  fellow- 
beings." 

Israel  had  occasion  to  .notice  repeatedly  that  this 
clergyman  proved  himself  "the  highest  style  of  man," 
in  his  gracious  attention  to  all  who  applied  to  him  for 
any  office  of  kindness  in  his  power ;  and  this,  without 
reference  to  name  or  caste.  Letters  were  frequently 
received  by  him  from  entire  strangers,  upon  items  of 
business,  which  had  little  claim  upon  his  notice  ;  but 
these  were  invariably  answered  in  the  utmost  courtesy. 
In  this,  he  truly  resembled  his  divine  Master  and 
Exemplar  —  nothing  was  too  small,  no  one  too  ob- 
scure, to  escape  his  gentlest  consideration.  The 
measure  in  'which  he  meted  out  to  his  fellow-beings, 
returned  to  him  again  a  hundred  fold. 

When  Israel  had  watched  the  working  of  this  sys- 
tem of  life,  he  exclaimed  to  himself:  "  How  different 
is  this  man  from  others  whom  I  have  known  —  who 
reckon  him  a  heretic  to  be  set  beyond  the  pale  of  their 
slightest  recognition,  as  a  true  Christian?  I  shall 
listen  to  his  teachings  from  my  heart  as  well  as  my 
head." 

On  the  following  Sabbath  this  clergyman  preached 
one  of  his  characteristic,  elaborate,  and  great  sermons. 
His  text  was  :  "  For  what  man  knoweth  the  things  of 
a  man,  save  the  spirit  of  man  which  is  in  him?  even 
so  the  things  of  God  knoweth"  no  man,  but  the  Spirit 
of  God."  (i  Cor.  2:  n.) 

The  spirit  of  man  and  the  spirit  of  God  were 
discussed  with  a  metaphysical  acuteness  and  logical 
profundity  worthy  of  any  of  the  authors  quoted,  as 
Kant,  Sir  William  Hamilton,  Berkely,  Hartley,  Home, 


308  AMONG    THE    UNITARIAN'S. 

Tooke,  Descartes,  Feder,  Garve,  Fichte,  Krug,  Schulze, 
Malebranche,  Helvetius,  and  the  like.  This  brought 
Israel  to  a  state  of  mental  lucidity,  as  though  he  had 
been  contemplating  the  "  ephod  and  tefaphim,"  made 
by  the  man  Micah.  The  world  around  him  seemed 
toned  down  to  a  reductio  ad  absurdum,  while  the 
Hartleian  "vibrations  and  vibratiuncles  in  the  medul- 
lary substance  of  the  brain,"  with  the  "  nihilism," 
"empiricism,"  and  the  kindred  "isms"  wound  him  up 
to  exploding  fragments  of  transcendental  synthetics. 

He  was  in  a  state  of  vapor  like  Bonnot  de  Condil- 
lac's  theory  of  la  faculte  de  sentir.  This  is  no 
uncommon  condition  of  minds  in  churches.  He  saw 
men  as  trees  walking  through  the  majestical  illustra- 
tions of  the  preacher.  The  stronger  his  efforts  to 'hold 
upon  the  argument  the  more  weary  he  became  ;  and 
all  thoughts  of  notes  were  out  of  the  question,  as 
indeed,  were  all  thoughts  of  anything  rational  or 
connected.  He  fell  asleep. 

The  minister  beheld  him,  and  the  words  of  Whately 
darted  through  his  mind  :  "  I  cannot  but  think  that  the 
generality  of  sermons  seem  to  presuppose  a  degree  of 
religious  knowledge  in  the  hearers  greater  than  many 
of  them  would  be  found  on  examination  to  possess. 
"  I  have  made  a  mistake,"  he  reflected. 

Israel  knew  not  whether  he  was  in  or  out  of  the 
body,  till  he  began  to  be  recalled  by  the  sight  and 
sound  of  the  exchange  of  civilities  on  all  sides  of  him. 
Of  these  civilities  one  thing  impressed  him  —  the 
ladies  of  the  clergyman's  family  were  very  cordial  to 
all  whom  they  met  —  not  only  to  those  who  appeared 
"  congenial  "  and  upon  a  similar  "  social  plane,"  but 


PRELIMINARY    OBSERVATIONS.  309 

to  those  less  favored  by  fortune.  He  mentioned  this 
afterward  to  a  friend,  who  said  to  him:  "Those 
ladies,  descendants  of  colonial  governors,  state  repre- 
sentatives, judges,  and  other  eminent  men,  and  at 
present  connected  with  some  of  the  leading  families 
of  the  land,  know  no  other  way  than  to  be  gracious  to 
all  the  members  of  their  father's  parish.  They  are 
not  of  that  degenerate  and  insignificant  order  of  new 
people,  who  affect  airs  and  make  petty  distinctions. 
Besides,  their  religion  teaches  them  to  follow  the 
example  of  their  Master  as  well  as  to  profess  faith  in 
Him." 


3IO  AMONG    THE    UNITARIANS. 


CHAPTER  II. 

CONVERSATION. 

WHEN  Israel  had  listened  to  the  teachings  of  the 
Unitarian  clergyman  until  deeply  interested,  the  fol- 
lowing conversation  occurred  between  them  :  — 

Israel.  "Your  views  of  Regeneration,  which,  I 
suppose  are  similar  to,  or  the  same  as,  those  of  the 
Universalists,  are  not  quite  clear  to  my  recognition." 

Clergyman.  "  Not  accepting  the  dogma  of  the 
total  depravity  of  mankind,  we  believe  (and  I  draw 
from  our  standard  authorities,)  that  man  has,  by 
nature,  a  divine  principle  within  him,  which,  com- 
ing from  God,  will  return  to  Him.  This  divinity  in 
man  can  never  be  totally  extinguished  ;  no  power  in 
heaven  or  earth  can  annul  the  holy  relationship 
existing  between  the  Creator  and  Creature.  We  be- 
lieve that  the  creature  requires  a  transformation  of 
heart,  a  regeneration  from  the  natural  into  the  higher 
spiritual  life,  and  that  this  will  eventually  take  place, 
here  or  hereafter,  before  the  consummating  event  of 
union  with  the  Creator.  The  divine  union  which  is 
effected  between  the  reconciled  heart  and  God,  in  this 
life,  constitutes  the  most  excellent  Christian  character. 
He  who  truly  lives  in  God,  is  truly  regenerated. 

"  There  are,  however,  degrees  in  the  regeneration. 


CONVERSATION.  311 

We  do  not  attempt  to  estimate  how  many  of  these 
degrees  it  shall  take  to  complete  the  standard  of  excel- 
lence. Here  let  me  read  to  you  a  sentence  from  one 
of  our  standard  writers,*  which  expresses  my  idea : 
'  Unitarians  do  not  feel  at  liberty  to  define  or  restrict 
the  mode  of  the  divine  operation  in  this  spiritual,  any 
more  than  in  the  natural  birth.  Recognizing  as  of 
indispensable  necessity  the  hand  of  God  in  both,  they 
know  and  acknowledge  that  u  the  wind  bloweth  where 
it  listeth,"  and,  consequently,  that  now  a  child  of  God 
may  be  raised  and  trained  under  the  gentle  care  of  a 
Christian  mother's  hourly  love,  and  now  may  be 
brought  forth  amid  the  throes  and  pangs  of  the  terror 
and  distress  of  a  conscience  smitten  by  sudden  calam- 
ity, or  by  the  truthful  words  of  a  mighty  "  man  of 
God."  *  *  Regeneration,  in  their  opinion,  is  not 
coercion,  nor  supercession,  but  a  stage  in  moral  growth, 
a  process  of  spiritual  development,  a  revival  of 
dormant  energies,  a  renewal  of  suspended  life. 
Regeneration  has  its  perfect  work  in  salvation.  *  * 
Salvation  is  not  only  freedom  from  sin,  but  it  is  the 
perfection  of  virtue :  in  other  words,  it  is  humanity 
instructed,  enriched,  refined,  and  elevated  to  its  highest 
pitch,  in  virtue  of  the  power,  and  after  the  model  of 
Christ.'" 

/.  "  Your  views  comport  more  nearly  with  the 
work  of  God  in  Nature." 

C.  "  We  do  not  encourage  belief  in  that  regener- 
ating process  which  is  said  to  take  place  in  one  point 
of  time,  and  in  an  equally  defined  point,  lapses  into  a 

*Rev.  Dr.  Beard. 


312  AMONG    THE    UNITARIANS. 

state  which  is  no  better  but  worse  than  the  first. 
Conversions  which  are  the  work  of  a  freak  of  the 
mind,  make  unsightly  characters  ;  whereas  those  which 
are  the  result  of  a  steady  purpose  of  the  enlightened 
will,  gradually  deyelope  characters  of  symmetrical 
structure  upon  good  foundations." 

I.  "  In  the  allusion  to  the  power  of  Christ  in  this 
work,  how  much  am  I  to  understand  is  referred  to 
this  power? " 

C.  "It  will  be  necessary  to  consider  the  Atone- 
ment, in  order  to  reply  to  your  question.  We  believe 
(and  again  I  draw  from  our  standard  authorities)  in 
one  God  and  in  his  Son,  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  We 
believe  in  the  Holy  Spirit  as  the  impersonal  power  of 
God  which  works  in  the  heart  of  man.  Christ  was 
the  first-born  of  every  creature,  consequently  he  can- 
not be  equal  to  God  the  Father.  The  precise  nature 
of  his  relationship  to  God  and  man,  we  regard  as 
unwarrantable  presumption  to  define.  That  there  is 
a  three-fold  office  in  the  work  of  regeneration  we 
acknowledge.  In  the  work  of  reconciling  man  to 
God,  the  Father,  Christ  the  Son  acts  the  part  of 
Exemplar,  Teacher,  elder  Brother,  and  Saviour. 
God-so  loved  the  world  that  He  gave  His  o^y-begotten 
Son,  that  whosoever  believes  in  Him  may  be  saved 
from  his  sins  in  this  life  and  the  next.  It  was  not  the 
anger  of  God  towards  man  which  gave  the  inesti- 
mable gift  of  His  Son,  as  is  erroneously  taught  by 
some  forms  of  belief.  The  Holy  Spirit  is  the  power 
of  God  in  the  heart  which  draws  it  to  discipleship  to 
Christ,  and  moulds  it,  in  favoring  circumstances,  into 
His  likeness.  These  circumstances  are  a  part  of  man's 


CONVERSATION.  313 

destiny  in  this  life  or  the  next.  The  complete  work, 
ns  also  the  work  on  all  its  parts,  is  one  of  Infinite 
Love.  The  creature,  man,  cannot  love  the  Lord 
Jesus  too  much,  nor,  as  second  only  to  the  Father,  can 
he  exalt  him  too  high.  His  work  in  the  regeneration 
of  man,  is  that  of  ineffable  tenderness.  As  such,  it 
is  passing  all  speech  in  the  realm  of  the  beautiful  and 
the  good.  '  Behold,  I  stand  at  the  door,  and  knock : 
If  any  man  hear  my  voice,  and  open  the  door,  I  will 
come  in  to  him,  and  will  sup  with  him,  and  he  with 
me.'  '  It  is  the  voice  of  my-  beloved  that  knocketh, 
saying,  open  to  me  *  *  for  my  head  is  filled  with 
dew,  and  my  locks  with  the  drops  of  the  night.' 
What  words  could  more  truly  portray  the  mission  of 
the  Christ  to  man  than  these  ?  " 

/.  "  But  what  use  do  you  assign  to  those  passages 
in  the  Bible  which  clearly  show  that  Christ  was  also 
a  sacrifice  for  sin  —  thus  pointing  to  a  work  of  propi- 
tiation with  the  Father  ?  " 

C.  "  Those  words  which  indicate  a  sacrifice  were 
used  in  accommodation  to  the  existing  ideas  of  sacri- 
ficial offerings  for  •  sin,  which  had  been  transmitted 
from  the  earliest  periods.  But  I  prefer  to  read  to  you, 
concerning  this,  from  the  author  already  quoted : 
'  It  is  not  denied  that  sacrificial"  language  is  applied 
in  the  New  Testament  to  the  passion  of  the  Saviour. 
But  that  language,  it  is  maintained,  had  parted 
with  its  primary  import,  while  the  strictly  vicarious 
sufferings  and  literal  atonements  of  heathenism  were 
unknown  in  the  Hebrew  church.  The  general  idea 
of  atonement,  it  is  thought,  passed,  in  the  religious 
history  of  man,  through  several  stages.  In  the  rudest 


314  AMONG    THE    UNITARIANS. 

religious  conceptions,  sacrifices  were  vicarious  means 
of  appeasing  the  Divinity,  and  so  averting  the  conse- 
quences of  His  displeasure  and  wrath.  Here  we  have 
the  offender,  man  ;  the  being  offended,  God  ;  and  the 
atoning  medium,  the  most  precious  of  man's  posses- 
sions —  his  substance,  his  captive,  his  child.  By  the 
Mosaic  law,  God  was  set  forth  as  essentially  good,  and 
surpassingly  merciful;  willing,  therefore,  to  accept 
man's  offerings,  not  so  much  as  means  of  appeasement 
on  his  part,  as  tokens  of  a  submissive,  grateful,  and 
obedient  heart  on  the  part  of  the  repentant  sinner ; 
consequently,  atonement,  in  the  Hebrew  Church,  was 
a  system  of  covering,  and  as  of  covering,  so  of  oblit- 
eration for  sin  ;  a  system  by  which  God  threw  a  vail 
over  human  transgressions,  and,  receiving  marks  of 
man's  homage,  graciously  remitted  the  sin,  and  fore- 
went the  penalty.  Another  stage  in  the  conception  is 
found  in  the  prophetic  view  of  atonement,  which, 
based  on  the  internal  nature  of  religion,  the  necessity 
of  internal  obedience,  and  the  abuses  to  which  the 
externalities  of  sacrificial  observances  had  been  found 
to  lead,  disallowed,  and  even  severely  reprobated 
all  outward  oblations  and  propitiatory  tokens  what- 
ever, declaring  that  God  could  accept  on]y  a  pure 
heart  and  a  benevolent  life.  (Is.  i  :  n  ;  Amos  5  :  21  ; 
Micah  6:7;  Jer.  6,  20  ;  7  :  22.)  The  final  step  in  this 
process  of  revelation  and  of  spiritual  refinement  was 
set  by  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  when  teaching  men  to 
regard  God  as  the  Father  of  all,  especially  of  those 
who  believed  (i  Tim.  4:  10)  he  taught  them  also  to 
consider  his  own  sufferings  as  an  expression  and 
exemplification  of  love  —  of  everlasting,  unpurchased, 


CONVERSATION.  315 

and  unprompted  love  —  on  the  part  of  the  Father ; 
and  of  pity,  and  the  widest  and  most  generous  philan- 
thropy on  his  own  part.  Coming,  however,  as  he 
did,  to  put  away  sin  by  the  voluntary  sacrifice  of  him- 
self, (Heb.  9 :  26,)  he  became  the  great  sacrifice  —  the 
ideal  atonement  —  the  completion  and  the  fulfilment 
of  all  divinely-recognized  sacrificial  ideas,  types,  and 
observances,  —  so  that,  while  all  the  phraseology  con- 
nected therewith  was  applicable,  and  in  its  highest 
import  applicable,  only  to  him,  that  import  was  not 
physical,  not  material,  but  divested  of  all  merely 
human  and  earthly  elements  of  wrath,  equivalence, 
and  propitiation  ;  had  risen  into  pure  spirituality,  and 
represented  as  its  essential  ideas,  sin  and  suffering  on 
man's  part,  love  on  the  part  of  God  and  Christ,  and 
such  a  remedy  emanating  from  the  latter  as  would 
inevitably  cover,  obliterate,  and  remove  the  former. 
Thus  eliminating  all  the  gross  conceptions  which  had 
their  reason,  if  not  their  origin  in  low  states  of  moral 
culture  and  early  periods  of  civilization,  the  Gospel 
presents  in  its  atonement,  "a  new  and  better  way"  — 
a  way  in  which  mercy  triumphs  over  justice  ;  love  has 
"  free  course  and  is  glorified  ;  "  and,  while  sin  is  sub- 
dued and  extirpated,  the  sinner  is  redeemed,  restored, 
renovated,  and  made  everlastingly  happy,  by  becoming 
essentially  holy.'" 

/.  u  The  view  is  a  philosophical  one  upon  the 
basis  of  human  reason ;  but  as  a  religious  view,  upon 
the  basis  of  the  word  of  God,  there  are  many  diffi- 
culties accompanying  it  to  my  mind." 

C.  "  It  is  plain  to  understand,  provided  you  admit 
the  same  process  takes  place  in  the  human  mind  of 


316  AMONG    THE    UNITARIANS. 

different  ages  as  in  the  operations  of  Nature,  namely  — 
change" 

I.  "  You  believe,  then,  in  the  progress  of  ideas  of 
Christian  truth?" 

C.  "  Most  certainly.  We  glory  (if  the  term  is  ever 
permissible)  in  our  scope  of  liberty  of  thought  and 
enlightenment  in  the  domain  of  truth..  This,  though 
sometimes  abused  by  our  people,  we  hail  as  our  pre- 
cious, inalienable  right.  Were  I  bound  to  a  creed 
made  by  any  man,  I  should  feel  as  if  chained  to  Ixion's 
wheel.  In  any  human  prison  of  thought,  I  should 
stifle  into  inanity.  There  is  no  bondage  like  that  of 
the  soul  in  chains  of  religion.  Man's  spiritual  nature 
having  come  from  God  himself,  is  allied  to  the  infinite. 
Hence,  all  attempts  at  its  prescription  and  limitation 
are  nothing  short  of  positive  tyranny,  as  cruel  in  its 
sensations  as  it  is  fatal  in  its  capacities  for  growth.  I 
often  think  of  what  that  excellent  man,  John  Robin- 
son, wrote  to  the  Congregational  Church,  which  he 
had  founded,  after  their  departure  for  Plymouth,  New 
England.  Here  it  is.  (Reads)  :  '  For  my  part  I  can- 
not sufficiently  bewail  the  condition  of  the  reformed 
churches,  who  are  come  to  a  period  in  religion,  and 
will  go  at  present  no  further  than  the  instruments  of 
their  reformation.  The  Lutherans  cannot  be  drawn 
to  go  beyond  what  Luther  saw.  Whatever  part  of  his 
will  our  good  God  has  revealed  to  Calvin,  they  will 
rather  die  than  embrace  it.  ^.nd  the  Calvinists,  you 
see,  stick  fast  where  they  were  left  by  that  great  man 
of  God,  who  yet  saw  not  all  things. 

" '  This  is  a  misery  much  to  be  lamented ;  for 
though  they  were  burning  and  shining  lights  in  their 


CONVERSATION.  317 

times,  yet  they  penetrated  not  into  the  whole  counsel 
of  God ;  but  were  they  now  living,  would  be  as 
willing  to  embrace  further  light,  as  that  which  they 
first  received.  I  beseech  you,  remember  it  is  an 
article  of  your  church  covenant,  "  That  you  be  ready  to 
receive  whatever  truth  shall  be  made  known  to  you 
from  the  written  word  of  God."  But  I  must  herewithal 
exhort  you  to  take  heed  what  you  receive  as  truth. 
Examine  it,  consider  it,  and  compare  it  with  other 
Scriptures  of  truth,  before  you  receive  it ;  for  it  is  not 
possible  that  the  Christian  world  should  come  so  lately 
out  of  such  thick  antichristian  darkness,  and  that  per- 
fection of  knowledge  should  break  forth  at  once.'  " 

/.  "I  remember  hearing  a  Congregational  clergy- 
man read  extracts  from  this  letter,  but  he  omitted  this 
which  you  have  read." 

C.     "  Yes  ;  I  should  suppose  he  would." 

I.  "  And  yet  it  is  evident  that  Calvin  saw  not  all 
things,  especially  when  he  failed  to  discern  the 
right  of  his  opponent  Servetus,  to  whose,  death  he 
consented." 

C.  "  Servetus,  a  good  man,  as  all  admit,  could  not 
accept  the  Calvinistic  idea  of  the  Trinity.  He  was 
burned  in  conformity  to  the  Calvinistic  idea  of  God's 
punishment  of  his  enemies.  How  true  is  it  that  we 
act  towards  our  fellow-man  as  we  think  that  God  deals 
with  them.  In  other  words,  our  characters  take  on 
the  semblance  of  our  idea  of  God.  If  we  think  He  is 
a  being  full  of  wrath,  hate,  and  vengeance,  the  ten- 
dency is  hate  to  all  others  but  those  who  are  like 
ourselves." 

/.     "  However,   Robinson's  caution  to  his  people 


3*8  AMONG    THE    UNITARIANS. 

respecting  the  obligation  to  examine  an  alleged  truth 
with  the  Scriptural  canon,  is  not  to  be  disregarded." 

C.  "  We  accept  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New 
Testament  as  a  compendium  of  faith  and  duty ;  but 
we  do  not  admit  plenary  inspiration." 

I.  "It  seems  to  me  that  the  dividing  line  between 
reason  and  revelation  is  hard  to  draw.  Dr.  Priestley's 
idea,  that  the  words  of  the  writers  of  the  Bible  should 
be  received  just  as  we  receive  that  of  other  credible 
historians,  but  without  ascribing  infallibility  to  them, 
is  attended  with  great  difficulty  to  me.  If  I  reject 
their  infallibility,  I  am  compelled  to  resort  to  my  own 
fallible  judgment  —  a  subterfuge  altogether  unworthy 
of  such  a  subject." 

C.  "  But,  if  you  accept  them  to  the  fullest  import 
of  inspiration,  you  are  yet  compelled  to  do  the  same 
thing,  in  order  to  arrive  at  an  intelligent  understanding 
of  their  annunciations." 

/.  "This  intelligent  understanding,  as  I  believe, 
can  only  be  gained  by  the  assistance  of  the  Spirit  of 
God.  Our  hearts  do  not  burn  within  us  while  we 
read,  till  Christ  talks  to  us  by  the  way,  and  opens  to 
us  the  Scriptures.  This  takes  place,  when,  as  you 
have  intimated  in  that  beautiful  passage  quoted  in 
another  connection,  we  open  the  door  of  our  hearts  to 
Him.  We  get  from  the  Scriptures  the  measure  of 
truth  or  error,  which  is  the  result  of  what  we  bring  to 
them.  If  we  carry  hearts  of  unrest  and  hate  to  the 
Written  Word,  we  bring  away  the  same  in  kind, 
but  more  in  degree ;  and  if  we  carry  love,  we  bring 
away  the  effluence  of  love.  Since  prophecy  came 
not  by  the  will  of  man,  but  holy  men  of  God  spake 


CONVERSATION.  319 

as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  I  cannot  see 
that  it  is  to  be  understood  by  the  will  of  man,  but 
rather  by  the  spirit  of  God  within  us." 

C.  "  We  differ,  if  at  all,  more  in  terms  than  in 
reality.  Like  yourself,  I  believe  that  the  Scriptures 
are  to  be  interpreted  by  the  spirit  of  God  'within  us. 
This  spirit  exists  in  the  heart  of  every  sentient  being. 
It  does  not  work  by  any  private  interpretation  vouch- 
safed to  a  Calvin  or  a  Wesley  ;  but  it  is  free  to  all  as 
the  air  we  breathe.  What  you  believe  is  truth  to  you, 
but  it  may  not  be  so  to  me,  for  the  reason  that  the 
mediums  through  which  it  operates  upon  the  under- 
standing are  unlike.  If  I  see  yonder  landscape 
through  a  red  glass,  all  things  are  red  ;  if  you  look  at 
the  same  scene  through  a  green  one,  all  the  scene  is 
green.  Yet  vision  is  perfect  in  both  cases  ;  so  is  the 
landscape  the  same,  and  unchangeable.  This  com- 
ports with  your  idea  of  our  bringing  out  of  the  Bible 
what  we  carry  to  it.  Theologians  form  systems  of 
divinity  from  the  same  texts,  as  unlike  in  their  nature 
and  tendencies  as  light  from  darkness,  because  the 
theologians  themselves  are  unlike  in  the  conditions 
of  mind.  Consequently  I  attach  little  value  to  all 
theologies.  He  that  doeth  His  'will  shall  know 
sufficient  doctrine  for  all  purposes  essential  to  a  good 
life  and  a  good  death.  And  that  will  is  found  in  the 
Bible." 

I.  "While  I  am  explicit  in  avowing  my  belief  in 
the  full  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  I  confess 
to  unqualified  admiration  of  the  stress  laid  by  you  and 
your  co-believers  upon  works,  or  moralities.  The 
little  attention  paid  to  these,  by  the  expounders  of 


32O  AMONG    THE    UNITARIANS. 

orthodox  creeds,  so  called,  has  often  been  a  great 
stumbling-block  in  my  way.  To  me,  it  is  nothing 
short  of  absolute  impiety  or  heathen  mythology  to 
claim  a  surety  of  the  highest  happiness,  immediately 
after  death  —  the  result  of  a  life  spent  in  the  service  of 
deception  and  the  other  devious  ways  of  sin  —  under 
cover  of  a  mere  expression  of  faith." 

C.  "  Here  you  will  understand  why  we  do  not 
make  the  atonement  cover  so  much  as  do  those  men. 
We  regard  the  idea  of  those  who  are  self-styled  evan- 
gelical, as  most  dangerous  and  often  fatal  to  thorough 
foundations  of  virtue  and  good  faith  in  dealings  among 
men.  You  will  observe  the  character  of  those  com- 
munities which  hold  such  doctrines.  They  strain  at  a 
gnat  in  a  profession,  but  swallow  camels  in  their 
practice.  It  would  seem  that  nothing  but  the  laws  of 
the  land  restrain  them." 

/.  "  I  admit  what  you  say.  And  yet  I  must  add 
that  it  is  my  faith,  if  I  am  ever  saved,  it  will  be  by  the 
atonement  of  my  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  and  not  by 
any  works  which  I  have  done." 

C.  "At  the  same  time  you  believe  that  we  shall 
all  be  judged  according  to  our  works  ?  " 

7.  "I  do.  And  I  also  believe  that  the  death  of 
Christ  avails  nothing  where  these  works  do  not  exist." 

C.  "  We  differ,  as  before,  more  in  terms  than  oth- 
erwise." 

/.  "  It  is  surprising  to  me  that  your  sect  does  not 
gain  followers  more  rapidly  and  more  extensively  over 
all  the  classes  of  .society,  when  you  inculcate  such 
pure  practice." 

C.     "  Our  teaching  of  the  necessity  of  a  moral  life 


CONVERSATION.  321 

in  order  to  please  God,  is  the  offence  of  the  cross 
which  fails  to  suit  the  popular  ear  ;  whereas  a  doctrine 
that  teaches  a  faith  without  any  works  but  those  of 
your  own  will,  is  most  agreeable  to  the  general  heart. 
They  do  indeed  teach  good  works,  but  rather  as  an 
outgrowth  and  adornment  than  the  elements  of  the 
structure  of  which  the  Christian  character  is  com- 
posed. Our  foundation,  alike  with  theirs,  is  Christ ; 
but  we  believe  that  the  building  will  not  stand  the  test 
of  time  unless  rightly  composed." 

/.  "  Allow  me  to  add  an  opinion  respecting  this. 
It  seems  to  me  if  your  preachers  brought  their  sermons 
more  on  a  level  with  the  great  heart  of  the  people  — 
those  active,  impulsive,  and  yet  mostly  unlearned  and 
unread  people  —  that  they  would  be  more  attractive, 
and  hence  more  operative  upon  popular  thought. 
With  some  few  exceptions  they  are  not  sufficiently  in 
earnest.  The  laws  of  rhetoric,  you  know,  sir,  incul- 
cate earnestness  in  the  speaker,  in  order  to  k-indle  a 
corresponding  emotion  in  the  hearers.  They  do  not 
bring  enough  of  the  vital  interest  at  stake.  They 
indulge  in  theories,  while  their  hearers,  for  the  most 
part,  are  wholly  unprepared  for  such  food.  They 
sacrifice  their  true  power  in  an  attempt  to  sustain  the 
dignity  of  a  life  of  profound  study  interspersed  with 
elegant  leisure  and  the  most  refined  social  exchange." 

C.  "I  admit  that  there  is  justice  in  your  criticism. 
But  we  do  not  wish  to  evoke  an  earnestness  which 
will  soon  consume  itself  and  its  possessor.  You  re- 
member that  in 'the  time  of  Godfrey  of  Boulogne,  cer- 
tain people  of  Nivers  were  burned  with  invisible  fire, 
and  Krautzius  says  that  some  of  them  cut  off  a  hand 

21 


322  AMONG    THE    UNITARIANS. 

or  a  foot  where  the  burning  started,  in  order  to  arrest 
the  calamity.  It  is  indeed  a  calamity  to  have  a  fire 
kindled  within  you,  which  consumes.  The  true 
warmth  of  the  soul  is  created  by  the  rays  from  the  sun 
of  righteousness ;  but  every  soul  has  the  capability  o{ 
this  divine  fire,  which  is  a  blessing  and  not  a  curse." 

I.  "I  remember  that  De  Castro  said  of  Doctor 
Alexandrinus  Megeteus,  that  fire  came  out  of  his  back- 
bone which  scorched  the  eyes  of  beholders.  Now, 
those  beholders  could  not  help  looking  at  the  Doctor  ; 
they  would  gp  far  to  see  him.  He  drew  crowds.  I 
would  have  ministers  with  such  backbone.  The  few 
have  it,  whom  all  men  draw  after." 

C.  "  Such  sensational  men  have  no  real  perma- 
nence in  the  confidence  of  the  people.  You  never 
know  who  they  are  or  what  they  really  believe.  They 
know  not  themselves.  Neither  are  the  sensations 
begotten  in  the  people  of  more  account,  save  as  a 
havoc  and  damage  every  way.  Witness  the  aspect  of 
the  people  on  their  return  from  a  camp-meeting.  As 
a  brother  once  said  to  me  on  one  of  these  occasions, 
'  I've  got  religion  enough  to  last  me  a  whole  year,  till 
the  next  one.'  They  look  as  though  they  had  to  con- 
tinually assure  themselves  of  this,  in  order  not  to  lapse 
into  a  state  of  profound  misery." 

/.  "  This  is  the  extreme.  The  golden  mean  — the 
juste  milieu  in  all  things,  is  certainly  best.  We  must 
take  people  as  we  find  them  ;  for  if  we  stop  to  make 
them  over  quite  to  our  liking,  they  are  gone,  and  so  like- 
wise are  we'.  In  our  short  lives  we  have  not  time  to 
do  what  we  would.  The  people  demand  excitements. 
If  they  cannot  get  them  here,'  they  will  seek  for  them 


CONVERSATION.  323 

there.  If  your  sect  can  get  along  without  the  people, 
you  may  well  afford  to  hold  the  even  tenor  of  your 
refined  and  elevated  way.  But  if  you  want  them, 
you  must  provide  things  meet  and  suitable  for  them. 
While  you,  Unitarians,  are  discoursing  from  the  sub- 
lime heights  of  philosophy  and  refined  experience  to 
the  few  who  know  whereof  you  speak,  the  other 
populous  sects  are  coursing  thoroughly  the  defiles  and 
gorges  of  sin,  scouring  the  plains  of  every-day  life, 
and  making  their  difficult  way  through  apparently 
unexplored  regions  of  unbelief  and  ignorance,  and  so 
gathering  numberless  raw  recruits  of  way-farers,  plod- 
ders, fools,  villains,  and  all  the  heterogeneous  mass 
which  swell  their  formidable  array  of  denominational 
statistics.  Their  mission  is  like  His  who  came  not  to 
call  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to  repentance.  Hence 
they  prosper." 

C.  "  Not  every  one  that  saith  '  Lord  !  Lord  ! '  and 
doeth  many  wonderful  works  in  his  name,  will  be 
found  all  glorious  within,  on  the  day  of  the  revelation 
of  the  true  life.  We  live  not  for  to-day.  We  look 
not  to  time  for  the  trial  of  our  work.  Statistics  made 
by  partial  men  are  of  no  account  to  us.  The  homely 
adage  is  not  forgotten,  '  Easy  come,  easy  go.'  There 
are,  however,  transition  periods  in  all  denominations. 
And  were  I  to  indulge  "myself  in  prophecy,  I  should 
say  that  ours  was  approaching  one  of  these." 
/.  "May  I  inquire  to  what  you  refer?" 
C.  "  The  thinkers  of  our  people  seem  awaking 
to  the  consciousness  of  a  necessity  for  a  more  active 
spirituality.  Their  hearts  are  getting  more  sympa- 
thetic with  the  papular  heart.  Research  and  specula- 


324  AMONG    THE    UNITARIANS. 

tivc  reflection  are  becoming  tiresome.  (Israel  thought 
of  the  metaphysical  sermon.)  A  need  is  springing 
up  in  the  soul.  Christ's  knocking  is  heard  and  heeded. 
The  deflection  of  certain  portions  of  our  people  into 
what  is  called  pure  Rationalism,  has  been  the  occasion 
of  this  awakening  of  the  other  portion,  called  Chris- 
tian Unitarians  or  Unitarian  Christians." 

I,  "You,  like  other  sects,  have  to  bear  one  another's 
burdens  of  '  heresy.'  " 

C.  "  Yes,  without  admitting  the  word  heresy.  We 
do  not  consider  those  who  differ  from  our  own  views, 
whether  within  our  own  pale  or  beyond  it,  as  heretics. 
That  word  belongs  to  a  dai'k  age.  The  children  of  a 
common  Father,  whose  name  and  essence  is  love,  can 
ill  descend  so  low  as  to  deal  in  stigmas.  Who  art 
thou  that  judgest  thy  brother?  Judgment. belongs  to 
God." 

/.  "I  think  if  some  of  you  Christian  Unitarians 
were  to  come  out  with  a  more  apostolical  zeal,  so  that 
the  common  people  of  the  highways  and  by-ways 
would  hear  you  gladly,  your  power  would  prevail 
over  that  of  your  brethren  who  deal  in  refined  spec- 
ulations." 

C.  "And  the  exercise  of  our  powers  would  be 
promotive  of  their  development  into  higher  and  nobler 
channels  of  thought  and  action." 

/.  "I  trust  that  you  will  pardon  my  presumption 
in  venturing  these  criticisms.  Your  unvarying  free- 
dom of  communication  has  caused  me  to  forget  all 
else  but  your  goodness  in  listening  to  one  who  has  no 
claims  upon  your  attention." 

C.     "  I  honor  your  draft  upon  my  courtesy.     The 


CONVERSATION.  325 

expression  of  one's  honest  convictions  is  never  to  be 
undervalued.  I  am  certain  that  this  you  say  of  us  is 
truth.  We  must  feel  more  the  necessity  of  speaking 
directly  to  the  people  of  the  great  vital  truths  of 
Christianity.  We  must  urge  them  to  seek  a  new  heart 
and  a  right  spirit.  Thought  and  feeling  must  go  hand 
in  hand  in  the  onward  march  of  progress ;  then  will 
there  be  kindled  a  noble,  God-like  fervor,  not  only  in 
our  hearers,  but  in  ourselves.  We  preachers  need  to 
bring  new  fire  from  off  the  altar  in  order  to  be  true 
Christian  Unitarians." 

/.  "  I  infer  that  you,  in  common  with  all  other 
Christian  sects,  date  your  first  period  to  the  time  of 
Christ." 

C.  "We  do,  as  Christian  Unitarians  ;  but  as  Uni- 
tarians, we  go  back  to  the  times  of  the  patriarchs  who 
believed  in  only  one  God.  In  the  earliest  Christian 
churches  we  find  that  the  believers  of  our  doctrine 
were  opposed  under  the  name  of  monarchists,  because 
they  held  to  the  sovereignty  of  one  God,  the  Father." 

/.  "  In  connection  with  your  denomination,  I  have 
always  associated  a  few  eminent  leading  names  as  the 
personal  embodiment  of  its  teachings.  Of  the  first 
of  these,  is  Arius.  I  remember  of  my  early  reading 
of  this  man,  and  his  contest  with  Alexander,  bishop 
of  Alexandria." 

C.  "  This  was  in  the  begining  of  the  fourth  cen- 
tury. He  owned  Christ  to  be  God,  but  in  a  sense  that 
angels  are  styled  gods  in  the  Scripture  ;  that  he  was 
not  co-eternal  with  the  Father,  consequently  not  co- 
equal. Arius  is  represented  to  have  been  venerable  in 
appearance,  and  irreproachable  in  his  habits." 


326  AMONG    THE    UNITARIANS. 

/.  "  I  used  to  be  much  impressed  when  I  read  of 
his  restoration  to  favor  by  Constantine,  notwithstand- 
ing the  opposition  of  Alexander  —  how  he,  with  his 
followers,  on  being  recalled,  walked  the  streets  of 
Constantinople  in  triumph,  and  when,  according  to 
the  language  of  the  historian,  '  he  was  suddenly  seized 
with  an  anguish  in  his  bowels,  and  soon  after  expired.' 
I  thought  that  it  was  a  visitation  of  the  judgment  of 
God,  for  his  errors.  But  since,  I  have  found  in  more 
truthful  sources  of  history,  that  the  evidence  was  con- 
clusive ;  that  his  opponents  cut  short  his  career  by 
poisoning  him." 

C.     "  We  have  suffered  our  share  of  persecution." 

I.  "  Next,  I  recall  the  names  of  Martin  Cellarius, 
of  Stuttgart,  the  friend  of  Luther  and  Melancthon, 
and  Michael  Servetus.  Laslius  Socinus  adopted  a 
similar  system  of  antitrinitarianism,  which  was  in- 
troduced into  Poland  by  his  nephew,  Faustus 
Socinus." 

C.  "  The  doctrine  of  Socinus  differed  from  that  of 
Arius,  in  that  he  taught  that  Christ  had  no  existence 
until  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary." 

I.  "  I  think  that  Socinus  must  have  held  a  higher 
view  of  Christ  than  did  some  of  his  followers,  as  it  is 
stated  in  history,  that  he  persecuted  Francis  David  on 
account  of  rejecting  the  worship  of  Christ,  and  cast 
him  into  prison,  where  he  died." 

C,  "  There  were  different  parties  of  antitrinita- 
rians  in  those  days  as  in  the  present  time.  Some 
believed  Jesus  Christ  to  be  a  God  of  an  inferior  nature 
to  the  Father ;  others  held  to  his  peculiar  sonship  like 
Arius ;  yet  others  believed  only  in  his  humanity 


CONVERSATION.  327 

endowed  with  superior  wisdom  for  a  special  mission 
which  he  sealed  with  his  blood.  The  latter  view  has 
prevailed  more  extensively  in  Germany,  in  recent 
periods.  In  our  land,  they  of  this  faith  are  now 
quietly  passing  into  the  ranks  of  the  Rationalists  or 
Transcendentalists." 

/.  "  Next  the  names  of  Priestley  and  Belshatn,  in 
England,  come  up  to  recognition  in  this  connection." 

C.  "  But  the  first  public  advocate  of  Unitarianism 
in  England  was  John  Biddle.  He,  with  others,  pub- 
lished a  series  of  Socinian  tracts  which  aroused  con- 
troversy, and  established  conviction  in  many  hearts. 
The  progress  of  our  views  during  the  latter  part  of 
the  last  century,  in  England  and  America,  is  chiefly 
ascribed  to  Dr.  Priestley." 

/.  "  Dr.  Samuel  Clarke  might  also  be  styled  a 
Unitarian,  I  suppose,  since  he  maintained  a  difference 
of  rank  between  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost." 

C.  "  Yes ;  and  also  John  Milton  and  Sir  Isaac 
Newton.  There  are  other  eminent  names  belonging 
to  evangelical  bodies,  who  have  not  been  considered 
'  sound '  on  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity." 

/.  "  In  this  country,  the  name  of  Channing  is  pre- 
cious to  every  sincere  and  liberal  lover  of  truth.  I 
have  read  his  works  with  the  deepest  interest.  Some 
of  his  words  I  have  transcribed  into  my  memory,  and 
so  have  them  always  present  at  my  call." 

C.     "What  are  these?" 

/.  "One  of  the  beautiful  mosaics  is  this:  'Books 
find  their  way  into  every  house,  however  mean  ;  and 
especially  that  book  which  contains  more  nutriment  for 
the  intellect,  imagination,  and  heart,  than  all  others  ;  I 


328  AMONG    THE    UNITARIANS. 

mean,  of  course,  the  Bible.  And  I  am  confident  that 
among  the  poor  are  those  who  find  in  that  one  book 
more  enjoyment,  more  awakening  truth,  more  lofty 
and  beautiful  imagery,  more  culture  to  the  whole  soul, 
than  thousands  of  the  educated  find  in  their  general 
studies,  and  vastly  more  than  millions  among  the  rich 
find  in.  that  superficial,  transitory  literature  which 
consumes  all  their  reading  hours.'  " 

C.  "  We  do  well  who  imitate  Channing  in  rever- 
ence and  love  for  the  Bible." 

/.  "  Then  of  all  his  writings  I  most  like  this  pas- 
sage :  — 

"  '  I  call  that  mind  free,  which  jealously  guards  its 
intellectual  rights  and  powers,  which  calls  no  man 
master,  which  does  not  content  itself  with  a  passive  or 
hereditary  faith,  which  opens  itself  to  light  whence- 
soever  it  may  come,  which  receives  new  truth  as  an 
apgel  from  heaven,  which,  while  consulting  others, 
inquires  still  more  of  the  oracle  within  itself,  and  uses 
instruction  from  abroad,  not  to  supersede,  but  to 
quicken  and  exalt  its  own  energies. 

"  '  I  call  that  mind  free  which  sets  no  bounds  to  its 
love,  which  is  not  imprisoned  in  itself  or  in  a  sect, 
which  recognizes  in  all  human  beings  the  Image  of 
God,  and  the  rights  of  his  children,  which  delights  in 
virtue,  and  sympathizes  with  suffering  wherever  they 
are  seen,  which  conquers  pride,  anger,  and  sloth,  and 
offers  itself  up  a  victim  to  the  cause  of  mankind. 

"• '  I  call  that  mind  free  which  is  not  passively  framed 
by  outward  circumstances,  which  is  not  swept  away 
by  the  torrents  of  events,  which  is  not  the  creature  of 
accidental  impulse,  but  which  bends  events  to  its 


CONVERSATION.  329 

own  improvement,  and  acts  from  an  inward  spring, 
from  immutable  principles  which  it  has  deliberately 
espoused. 

"  '  I  call  that  mind  free  which  protects  itself  against 
the  usurpations  of  society,  which  does  not  cower  to 
human  opinion,  which  feels  itself  accountable  to  a 
higher  tribunal  than  man's,  which  respects  a  higher 
law  than  fashion,  which  respects  itself  too  much  to  be 
the  slave  or  tool  of  the  many  or  the  few. 

"  '  I  call  that  mind  free  which,  through  confidence  in 
God,  and  in  the  power  of  virtue,  has  cast  off  all  fear 
but  that  of  wrong  doing,  which  no  menace  or  peril 
can  enthral,  which  is  calm  in  the  midst  of  tumults,  and 
possesses  itself  though  all  else  be  lost. 

"  '  I  call  that  mind  free  which  resists  the  bondage  of 
habit,  which  does  not  mechanically  repeat  itself,  and 
copy  the  past,  which  does  not  live  on  its  old  virtues, 
which  does  not  enslave  itself  to  precise  rules,  but 
which  forgets  what  is  behind,  listens  for  new  and 
higher  monitions  of  conscience,  and  rejoices  to  pour 
itself  forth  in  fresh  and  higher  exertions. 

"  '  I  call  that  mind  free  which  is  jealous  of  its  own 
freedom,  which  guards  itself  from  being  merged  in 
others,  which  guards  its  empire  over  itself  as  nobler 
than  the  empire  of  the  world. 

"  '  In  fine,  I  call  that  mind  free  which,  conscious  of  its 
affinity  with  God,  and  confiding  in  his  promises  by 
Jesus  Christ,  devotes  itself  faithfully  to  the  unfolding 
of  all  its  powers,  which  passes  the  bounds  of  time  and 
death,  which  hopes  to  advance  forever,  and  which 
finds  inexhaustible  power,  both  for  action  and  suffering, 
in  the  prospect  of  immortality. 


33°  AMONG    THE    UNITARIANS. 

"  '  Such  is  the  spiritual  freedom  which  Christ  came  to 
give.  It  consists  yi  moral  force,  in  self-control,  in  the 
enlargement  of  thought  and  affection,  and  in  the  unre- 
strained action  of  our  best  powers.  This  is  the  great 
good  of  Christianity ;  nor  can  we  conceive  a  greater 
within  the  gift  of  God.' " 


THE    PRACTICAL    SERMON.  33! 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE     PRACTICAL    SERMON. 

A  FEW  Sabbaths  after  the  foregoing  conversation, 
the  Unitarian  clergyman  preached  a  sermon  upon 
these  words :  "And  the  Lord  said  unto  Joshua,  Get 
thee  up  ;  wherefore  liest  thou  thus  upon  thy  face  ? " 
(Joshua  7  :  10.) 

Of  this  discourse,  Israel  made  the  following  mem- 
oranda :  — 

"Joshua  was  faint-hearted.  He  had  found  difficul- 
ties. He,  with  his  people,  had  recently  come  into  a 
strange  land,  among  an  unfriendly  people.  Regretting 
that  the  Lord  had  brought  them  over  Jordan,  Joshua 
with  his  elders  rent  their  clothes,  fell  to  the  earth,  and 
put  dust  upon  their  heads.  Then  the  Lord  said,  '  Get 
thee  up  ;  wherefore  liest  thou  thus  upon  thy  face?' 

"There  are  many  like  Joshua  in  our  day  and  gen- 
eration. Indeed  this  state  of  mind  is,  doubtless,  that 
of  every  one  at  some  period  of  life.  But  some  do  not 
hear  the  words  of  the  Lord  as  did  Joshua  ;  or,  if  hear- 
ing, they  do  not  heed  them.  They  continue  to  lie  on 
their  faces  and  grovel  in  the  dust  and  ashes  of  trib- 
ulation. They  go  mourning  all  their  days. 

"  There  are  two  or  three  points  which  I  shall  con- 
sider in  connection  with  the  text :  — 


332  AMONG    THE    UNITARIANS. 

"  First.  Who  are  these  that  lie  on  the  ground  upon 
their  faces? 

"  Second.  How  can  they  obey  the  command  'Get 
thee  up,'  involved  with  which  is  the  question,  What 
are  they  to  do  after  they  get  up  ? 

"  Under  the  first  head,  I  would  point  out,  among 
the  representatives  of  this  class  who  lie  on  their  faces, 
that  young  man  who  has  no  defined  purpose  of  life, 
no  object  above  the  existence  of  the  present  hour,  no 
aim  more  exalted  than  his  own  present  gratification. 
Do  you  say,  'let  me  alone  —  I  have  no  means,  no 
opportunities  whereby  to  do  more.  There  is  no  great- 
ness in  me.  I  never  could  do  much  when  at  school. 
My  endowments  do  not  qualify  me  for  any  higher 
sphere  than  that  I  now  occupy.  Besides,  whenever  I 
have  tried  to  get  up,  I  have  surely  fallen.  I  see  no 
way  for  me  to  do  better  or  greater.  It  does  not  pay 
for  me  to  make  any  such  extra  efforts.' 

"  Another  representative  of  the  class  is  the  man  of 
business  who  shuts  his  soul  to  all  the  higher  impulses 
of  his  being ;  who,  seeing  that  it  fares  better  with 
others  than  himself  because  of  his  inferior  conditions 
for  culture,  remains  prone  upon  his  face,  with  no 
thought  of  recognizing  a  higher  life  and  a  nobler 
scope  of  vision. 

"The  third  representative  man  is  he  who  has  passed 
middle  life,  and  is  now  looking  towards  the  decline  of 
his  years.  He  says,  '  If  I  had  my  life  to  live  over 
again,  I  should  do  very  differently ;  I  should  know 
what  to  do  in  order  to  get  great  things  for  myself.  But 
it  is  too  late  now.  I  am  getting  to  be  an  old  man.  My 
remaining  business  is  to  keep  pretty  still  where  I 


THE    PRACTICAL    SERMON.  333 

am  till  I  feel  the  cold  touch  of  the  grim  messenger, 
Death.' 

"  Suffer  me  to  say  to  all  these  classes  of  persons, 
and  to  all  others  who  are  in  the  condition  in  which 
was  Joshua,  '  Get  thee  up',  wherefore  liest  thou  thus 
upon  thy  face  ? '  Every  effort^you  make  in  this  life  adds 
something  to  the  development  of  the  immortal  man 
within  you.  Nothing  of  strife  for  the  better,  the 
nobler,  the  holier,  is  ever  lost.  If  you  had  but  one 
day  more  to  live,  it  would  avail  more  than  I  can 
describe  to  make  all  the  advances  possible  before  that 
day  was  over.  Just  so  far  as  you  get  in  time,  so  far 
ahead  you  begin  in  eternity.  Therefore,  lose  no  time 
in  getting  up,  looking  about  you,  and  discovering 
what  the  Lord  would  have  you  to  do.  *  *  *  * 

"Under  the  second  head,  I  shall  notice  some  of  the 
means  whereby  you  may  obey  the  command,  '  Get 
thee  up.'  Men  are  prone  to  forget  who  and  what  they 
are  ;  they  forget  their  kinship  ;  they  forget  their  destiny. 
You  are  not  only  sons  of  men,  but  sons  of  God.  You 
are  made  in  the  likeness  of  God.  You  are  dowered 
with  a  freedom  of  will,  the  exercise  of  which,  if  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  laws  of  your  being,  is  pleasing  to  God. 
You  are  not  mere  machines.  You  are  not  doomed 
men.  You  are  not  made  under  a  curse  for  the  sins  of 
Adam.  No  dark,  impenetrable  cloud  of  divine  wrath 
hangs  over  your  devoted  head,  shrouding  your  way  in 
mystery  and  gloom. 

*'  Think,  my  friends,  you  are  the  children  of  God  ! 
If  earthly  parents  know  how  to  give  good  things  to 
their  children,  how  much  more  shall  your  Father 
which  is  in  heaven  give  good  things  to  them  that  ask 


334  AMONG    THE    UNITARIANS. 

Him.  If  you  take  this  home  to  your  hearts,  can  you 
not  see  how  easy  it  is  to  get  up  from  your  posture  on 
the  ground? 

"  Nothing  is  more  disastrous,  more  utterly  to  be 
deprecated  in  the  course  of  the  events  of  your  life, 
than  to  believe  in  your  fate,  to  talk  of  luck,  to  cry  over 
your  evil  stars.  Fate  !  Luck  !  Stars  !  What  are  they 
all  before  the  power  of  God !  And  has  not  God 
vouchsafed  to  promise  the  exercise  of  this  power  ac- 
cording to  the  measure  of  your  faith  and  corresponding 
effort?  'Help  yourself,  and  heaven  will  help  you/ 

'"  How  shall  I  help  myself?  How  can  I  get  up?' 
do  you  reply  ? 

"  Believe  what  I  have  just  told  you.  Begin  with 
believing,  and  according  to  the  adage,  '  The  beginning 
is  the  half  of  the  whole.' 

"You,  young 'man!  to  whom  I  have  already 
spoken,  be  true  to  the  divinity  within  you,  in  order  to 
work  yourself  up  into  the  recognition  of  men. 
Wherever  you  are,  do  all  your  present  duty,  —  no 
matter  who  sees  you,  or  who  sees  you  not,  —  no  matter 
what  it  may  cost  you  of  self-sacrifice.  Live  up  to 
yourself.  Cut  off  your  evil  habits,  if  you  have  any, 
if  it  takes  your  right-hand  sin.  Divinity  does  not 
grow  in  an  atmosphere  of  impurity.  It  stifles.  Sin 
brings  you  flat  on  your  face.  You  cannot  walk  up- 
right so  long  as  vice  clings  to  you.  As  St.  Gaull,  the 
apostle  of  Germany,  ordered  the  bear  who  served  him 
with  bringing  wood  to  kindle  his  fire,  to  retire  to  the 
farthest  fastnesses  of  the  forest,  and  nevermore  to  show 
himself  again  to  the  injury  of  man,  so  do  you  com- 
mand the  sin  which  serves  you  with  fuel  for  the  fire  of 


THE    PRACTICAL    SERMON.  335 

your  life,  to  depart  hence,  and  disturb  you  no  more. 
The  legend  states  that  the  bear  obeyed  the  Saint  until 
his  dying  day.  So,  will  the  sin  obey  you,  if  it  dis- 
covers that  you  are  in  earnest  —  that  you  are  really 
determined  to  get  up,  and  prove  yourself  an  upright- 
going  man.  Resist  the  devil,  and  he  will  flee  from 
you.  Put  away  the  accursed  thing  from  among  you, 
even  as  Joshua  was  commanded  to  do  by  the  Lord. 
This  is  one  help  to  your  getting  up. 

"  Another"  is,  to  throw  yourself  upon  the  undevel- 
oped capabilities  within  you.  Who  knows  what  he 
can  do,  until  he  tries  !  The  career  of  all  the  great  men 
in  all  departments  of  laudable  effort  illustrates  this. 
And  the  Lord  said  unto  Joshua —  (this  was  the  next 
thing  after  the  putting  away  of  the  hidden  sin  which 
was  among  them)  —  Fear  not,  neither  be  thou  dis- 
mayed ;  take  all  the  people  of  war  with  thee,  and 
arise,  go  up.  to  Ai ;  see,  I  have  given  into  thine  hand 
the  king  of  Ai,  and  his  people,  and  his  city,  and  his 
land. 

"How  many  of  you,  young  men,  want  to  go  up  to  Ai? 

"  This  has  seemed  to  be  a  favorite  text  among  certain 
preachers  of  late  —  And  he  pitched  his  tent  towards 
Sodom.  One  of  these  said  in  the  pulpit,  a  short  time 
since,  that  it  was  pitching  the  tents  towards  Sodom 
when  young  men  left  their  homes  to  seek  their  for- 
tunes in  the  West.  As  though  God  were  not  the  God 
of  the  West,  as  well  as  of  the  East,  in  our  own  little 
speck  of  continent  on  the  earth  ! 

"  These  men  who  delight  in  holding  up  Sodom  for 
contemplation,  seem  afraid  of  the  outgrowing  enter- 
prise of  our  people.  They  wish  to  crop  it  off  with 


336  AMONG    THE    UNITARIANS. 

the  dull  blade  of  religious  bigotry  and  self-conceit.  I 
would  sooner  look  for  Sodom  where  John  Randolph 
directed  the  woman  who  was  solicting  missionary 
funds  —  at  our  own  doors.  The  ministers  who  would 
check  off  laudable  ambition  in  young  men,  have 
the  Sodom  in  their  own  hearts.  For  where  would 
they  have  been,  if  they  had  not  pitched  their  tent 
beyond  the  horizon  of  their  own  paternal  doors !  If 
you  pitch  your  tent  in  this  world,  you  will  find  more 
or  less  of  Sodom. 

"  Therefore,  I  say  unto  you,  young  men,  who  of 
you  desire  to  go  up  to  Ai?  Where  is  Ai?  Ai  is 
wherever  there  is  work  to  be  done  — -  hard  work  of 
which  you  are  capable.  Wherever  there  are  souls  to 
be  conquered  to  the  dominion  of  truth,  is  Ai.  Wher- 
ever there  is  a  city  to  be  built  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord,  is  Ai.  Wherever  there  is  a  king  like  Slavery, 
Intemperance,  Avarice,  and  Unbelief,  to  be  overcome 
and  destroyed,  is  Ai.  Get  thee  up  ;  wherefore  liest 
thou  thus  upon  thy  face,  when  there  is  such  glorious 
work  to  do  —  first  to  conquer  the  foes  to  your  own 
peace,  then  to  vanquish  the  foes  of  the  peace  of  others. 
Are  you  all  ready  to  get  up,  and  go  out  on  your  feet, 
new  men,  with  new  life  within  you? 

"  No  ;  I  see  that  you  are  not.  You  lack  entire  pre- 
paration. The  Christ  within  you  has  not  been 
invoked.  In  the  name  of  the  Lord,  can  you  only  do 
this  great  thing.  It  was  God  who  gave  to  Joshua  the 
might  to  go  forth  and  conquer.  It  was  He  who  gave 
unto  them  Ai  and  his  people,  and  his  city,  and  his 
land.  Will  you  take  Jesus  for  your  guide,  and  make 
the  effort,  or  do  you  prefer  to  lie  where  you  are,  and 


THE    PRACTICAL    SERMON.  337 

let  the  swift  coursing  tide  of  opposing  events  roll  over 
you.  When  Alexander  and  his  army  marched  to 
Mount  Haemus,  he  found  that  the  enemy  occupied  the 
summit  of  the  mountain,  which  was  covered  with  a 
line  of  wagons  which  were  to  be  rolled  down  precip- 
itously upon  the  ascending  phalanx.  He  then  ordered 
his  soldiers  to  open  their  ranks,  so  that  these  wagons 
could  pass  through  the  intervening  spaces.  But  soon 
the  wagons  came  down  so  fast  and  hot  upon  them, 
they  threw  themselves  on  the  ground,  and  locked  their 
shields  together,  so  that  the  wagons  went  over  them 
with  a  bound.  The  sensations  of  those  Macedonian 
soldiers  could  not  have  been  very  pleasant  while  lying 
there  under  that  advancing  foe  of  clattering  wagons. 
You,  who  lie  flat  on  your  alleged  destiny  while  the 
artillery  of  the  enemy  rolls  over  your  backs,  defended 
only  by  the  shield  of  your  philosophical  resignation, 
know  somewhat  the  sensations. 

"  '  But,'  do  you  say,  '  I  have  tried  more  than  once 
to  advance  and  take  the  enemy.  Their  wagons  are 
always  too  thick  for  me.  I  have  to  lie  on  my  face  in 
order  to  escape  with  my  life.'  Joshua  felt  just  this,  or 
he  would  not  have  torn  his  clothes  and  powdered  his 
head  with  dust,  in  the  anguish  of  his  spirit.  There  is 
no  disgrace  in  failure  if  unlinked  with  sin.  To  try  a 
thousand  times  and  fail  only  shows  that  you  are  a  man 
with  a  spirit  worthy  of  the  gods.  It  shows  that  you  are 
determined  to  succeed  some  time,  and  success  crowns 
the  brave  soon  or  late.  '  Men  want  industry  more 
than  time  or  abilities,'  says  Sallust.  Work,  WORK, 
WORK,  is  the  secret  of  getting  up  and  getting  on. 
If  you  fail  here,  apply  there  ;  if  you  fail  there,  return 
22 


338  AMONG    THE    UNITARIANS. 

here ;  only  keep  on  working.  No  matter  if  your 
schemes  come  to  nought ;  try  others.  The  dream  goes 
by,  but  the  man  is  here.  Don  Quixote  returned  home 
from  one  of  his  great  expeditions,  stretched  upon  a 
truss  of  hay  on  the  bottom  of  a  cage,  in  a  wagon 
drawn  by  oxen,  instead  of  coming  in  the  great  glory 
which  he  had  foreseen.  But  he  was  none  the  less  the 
indefatigable  flower  of  chivalry,  than  if  drawn  in  state 
in  a  gilded  chariot,  harnessed  with  royal  lions,  like  the 
gods,  with  angels  for  outriders. 

"  Before  the  commencement  of  earthquakes,  the 
clouds  are  fixed  and  motionless.  So  when  your  lot 
seems  to  have  come  to  a  dead  and  forlorn  standstill, 
look  out  for  the  revolution  which  shall  turn  up  great 
things  in  your  path. 

"  I  said  another  representative  of  this  class  was  the 
man  of  business,  who  is  content  with  keeping  his  face 
to  the  earth,  because,  forsooth,  he  has  not  had  the 
benefit  of  advantages  for  superior  culture.  This  is 
looking  backward  to  no  good,  after  the  style  of  Lot's 
wife.  Of  what  avail  are  useless  regrets?  Of  what 
use  is  it  to  pound  in  your  weak  points  ?  Rather  bring 
them  out  and  accustom  them  by  use  to  sustain  burdens 
by  degrees. 

"  But  do  you  worry  how  you  are  going  to  sustain 
them,  when  you  were  not  trained  for  the  work?  'O 
Lord,  what  shall  I  say?'  cried  cowardly  Joshua,  there 
on  his  face,  '  when  Israel  turneth  their  backs  before 
their  enemies  ?  '  Not  content  with  lying  on  the  ground, 
he  goes  to  borrowing  trouble  about  the  future.  That 
is  the  style  of  your  cowardly  souls. 

'•  'For  the  Canaanites,  and  all  the  inhabitants  of  the 


THE    PRACTICAL    SERMON.  339 

Lind  shall  hear  of  it,  and  shall  environ  us  around,  and 
cut  off  our  name  from  the  earth  ;  and  what  wilt  thou 
do  unto  thy  great  name  ?  '  continues  Joshua.  As  though 
the  Lord  could  not  take  care  of  His  great  name  with- 
out any  of  Joshua's  help !  As  though,  too,  it  made 
any  real  difference  with  Joshua  and  his  people,  what 
the  Canaanites  should  say  when  they  heard  of  his 
•weakness,  or  what  they  should  attempt  to  do  ! 

"But  how  much  this  is  like  the  men  of  to-day,  who 
fear  to  get  up  and  go  on,  lest  they  will  not  know  what 
to  say  !  Say  what  you  honestly  think,  or  keep  still 
till  it  is  time  to  say  it.  That  is  better  in  all  straits 
than  any  quotations  from  the  Greek  or  Latin  poets ;  it 
it  is  better  than  the  Sanscrit ;  it  excels  the  '  dai'k  say- 
ings '  which  were  uttered  upon  the  harp  of  David. 
(It  excels  quotations  from  the  old  schoolmen,  thought 
Israel.)  There  is  no  need  of  taking  thought  what  you 
shall  say  when  your  backs  are  turned  to  your  enemies. 
The  best  way  is  to  right  about  face,  and  say  nothing. 

"  Next,  you  trouble  yourself  over  what  the  Canaan- 
ites will  say  about  your  defeat.  This  is  the  greatest 
folly  of  all.  Who  are  the  Canaanites?  Only  men 
like  yourself;  they  do  not  even  eat  angels'  food.  They, 
too,  have  their  defeats.  The  Canaanites  are  unworthy 
your  notice,  or  they  would  not  comment  upon  your 
troubles.  Hence,  take  no  notice  of  those  Canaanites. 
Or  if  you  do  notice  them,  let  it  be  after  the  fashion  of 
the  Mahometans  who,  at  the  place  where  they  say 
Abraham  offered  up  Isaac,  throw  seven  stones  at  a 
pillar,  crying,  '  Stone  the  devil,  and  them  that  please 
him.'  I  do  not  counsel  you  to  stone  your  enemies. 
Far  from  that ;  but  I  do  advise  you  to  stone  their  words 


340  AMONG    THE    UNITARIANS. 

with  your  sublimest  indifference.  There  are  invisible, 
noiseless  shots,  far  more  powerful  than  the  roar  of  a 
cannon. 

"The  best  way  for  you,  who  are  struggling  in 
discouragement,  with  an  ever-painful  consciousness  of 
your  deficiencies,  is  to  transmute  your  dross  into  gold 
by  the  powerful  alchemy  of  the  name  — '  Make  the 
best  of  if.'  Mythology  ascribes  the  invention  of 
wreaths  to  Prometheus,  who  imitated  with  flowers  the 
fetters  which  he  had  borne  for  his  love  to  mankind. 
So,  likewise,  can  you  who  have  been  forced  to  wear 
fetters  of  any  kind  in  the  days  that  are  past,  or  even 
up  to  the  present,  call,  your  chains  wreaths,  —  laurel 
wreaths  worn  for  your  love  of  others !  Beautiful 
crowning  of  a  lot  of  self-sacrifice  and  pain !  Every 
one  of  your  trials  should  be  reckoned  a  flower  of  fair- 
est hue  and  sweetest  fragrance.  God  so  reckons  them 
if  they  have  been  sanctified. 

"  Therefore  I  say  unto  you,  as  was  said  to  Joshua, 
'  Up,  sanctify  yourselves  against  to-morrow  ! '  Sanc- 
tify all  your  sufferings  and  hardships.  Sanctify  your 
hearts  in  the  name  and  for  the  love  of  Jesus.  Get 

ready  for  to-morrow's  work  ! 

#**#** 

"To  the  third  representative  man  —  he  who,  being 
past  middle  life,  despairs  of  ever  doing  more  or  better 
than  he  has  already  achieved,  —  suffer  me  to  say  that 
you  have  but  just  begun  your  existence.  It  is  high 
time  for  you  to  attend  to  the  monition,  '  Get  thee  up  ; 
wherefore  liest  thou  thus  upon  thy  face ! '  Do  you 
imagine  that  God  has  taken  all  this  pains  to  bring  you 
over  Jordan  for  nothing?  There  is  work  to  be  done 


THE    PRACTICAL    SERMON.  341 

which  you  and  only  you  can  do.  The  ripe  results  of 
your  long  experience  must  be  given  to  the  world. 
The  maturity  of  your  judgment  must  be  felt  about  you. 

"  '  What  can  I  do?'  do  you  again  ask?  Mucheveiy 
way.  Look  about  you.  Sanctify  yourself  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord.  Then  go  up  to  Ai.  Your  Ai  is  what- 
ever you  can  do  best.  At  eighty  years  old,  Cato 
learned  the  Greek  language.  Plutarch,  when  nearly 
as  old,  learned  Latin.  Socrates  learned  to  play  on" 
musical  instruments  when  far  advanced  in  life.  Ar- 
nauld  translated  Josephus  when  eighty  years  of  age. 
Until  fifty  years  of  age,  Sir  Henry  Spelman  was 
devoted  to  farming ;  then  he  began  and  afterwards 
mastered  the  sciences.  Tellier,  Chancellor  of  France, 
learned  logic  in  order  to  dispute  with  his  grandchildren. 
Chaucer  commenced  his  Canterbury  Tales  in  his  fifty- 
fourth  year.  I  might  multiply  such  instances  almost 
indefinitely. 

"  There  is  a  beautiful  device,  invented  by  Michael 
Angelo,  to  be  seen  in  Rome,  of  an  old  man  in  a  go- 
cart,  on  which  is  an  hour-glass,  with  the.  inscription, 
'  Yet  I  am  learning? 

"  Of  Fontenelle,  who  continued  his  literary  labors 
to  his  ninety-ninth  year,  a  friend  wrote  —  '  Fontenelle, 
like  our  neighboring  thorn,  blossoms  in  the  winter  of 
his  days.'  Not  all  are  made  for  this  kind  of  going  to 
Ai.  Some  go  there  for  one  object ;  some  for  another  ; 
but  it  matters  not,  so  that  all  go,  and  possess  the  land 
—  so  that  all  work  to  some  good  purpose.  ***** 

"  I  beseech  you,  not  to  look  back  on  your  way,  Do 
not  say  —  '  If  I  only  could  live  my  life  over  again  !  ' 
One  life  in  this  world,  with  so  many  chances  of  lying 


342  AMONG    THE    UNITARIANS. 

flat  on  your  face,  much  of  the  time,  is  enough  for  any 
man.  Only  serpents  are  emblems  of  a  mortal  life  with- 
out end.  The  wandering  Jew  is  the  most  to  be  pitied 
of  all  men.  Says  Goethe  —  '  Nature  knows  no  pause 
in  progress  and  development,  and  attaches  her  curse 

on  all  inaction.' 

****** 

"  There  are  things  innumerable  and  indescribable 
for  all  of  us,  of  whatever  class  or  age,  to  do,  after  we 
obey  the  command,  '  Get  thee  up.'  A  willing  mind 
will  make  them  plain  to  us  —  but  one  at  a  time.  We 
are  to  live  only  one  day  in  the  twenty-four  hours,  and 
one  hour  in  the  sixty  minutes.  If  God  gives  us 
strength  for  this,  we  have  all  we  need.  Let  us 
acquire  the  habit,  if  we  do  not  already  possess  it,  of  a 
calm  and  holy  confidence-  in  Him,  who  only  can  help 
us  over  our  difficulties.  Getting  down  on  our  faces, 
if  ever  so  hard  beset,  is  not  to  be  thought  of.  We 
should"  teach  our  children  that  trials  are  the  best  part 
of  life,  because  they  make  us  men  and  women  of  holy 
valor  ;  —  they  fit  us  for  a  higher  order  of  angels  ;  they 
whiten  our  robes  as  no  fuller  can  whiten  them,  be 
none  never  so  royal  in  his  patent  right. 

"  Anything  short  of  this  leads  the  way  io  despair 
and  rebellion  against  God  and  man.  It  often  ends  in 
insanity.  *  * 

"  But  O  !  the  joyful  hope,  ever  present  to  the  vision 
of  him  who  overcometh  to  the  end !  That  hope 
which  is  an  anchor  to  the  soul,  both  sure  and  stead- 
fast, and  which  entereth  into  that  within  the  vail 
whither  the  forerunner  is  for  us  entered,  even 
Jesus!  *  *  *  * 


THE    PRACTICAL    SERMON.  343 

"  Therefore,  whosoever  thou  art  that  crieth  in  thy 
soul  —  '  Alas,  O  Lord  God,  wherefore  hast  thou  at  all 
brought  us  over  Jordan  to  deliver  us  into  the  hand  of 
our  enemies,  and  to  destroy  us !  hear  the  voice  of  the 
Lord  saying  —  "Get  thee  up;  wherefore  liest  thou 
thus  upon  thy  face?" 

"  From  this  hour,  determine,  in  His  strength,  to 
obey  his  command.  Sanctify  yourselves  for  work  — 
new  work  in  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord,  and  go  forward 
towards  Ai  with  a  joyful  heart,  and  with  a  song  of 
praise  upon  your  lips. 


FINDING   THE    CITY. 


A   LETTER. 

ISRAEL  KNIGHT  wrote  to  his  former  guardian  this :  — 

"DEAR  SIR:  — 

"  I  have  given  some  attention  to  nine  different 
denominations  of  Christians.  Many  others,  more  or 
less  akin  to  some  one  of  these,  equally  claim  my  inves- 
tigation ;  but  I  now  despair  of  rinding  what  I  seek,  viz  : 
the  church  which  shall  correspond  to  the  City  of  the 
Prophet's  vision,  whose  name  deserves  to  be,  The 
Lord  is  there. 

"  Though  I  find  something  by  which  to  profit  in  all, 
there  is  no  one  free  from  my  dissent  in  articles  of  faith 
or  practice.  What  shall  I  do  to  be  saved  from  my 
perplexity  ? 

Respectfully  yours, 

ISRAEL  KNIGHT." 


REPLY. 


"Mv  DEAR  YOUNG  FRIEND:  — 

"  Read  more  carefully  the  Prophet's  vision  of  that 
City  with  the  name  for  which  you  look. 
345 


346  FINDING    THE    CITY. 

"  There  were  gates  on  all  sides.  Every  gate  led  to 
the  city. 

"  Keep  straight  on  any  of  the  roads,  the  church- 
gate  of  which  you  have  entered,  and  you  will  come  to 
the  place  where  the  Lord  is,  provided  you  are  right 
yourself.  It  is  not  the  gate  through  which  you  go, 
but  the  heart  which  you  carry  through  that  gate. 
'  The  kingdom  of  God  cometh  not  with  observation. 
Neither  shall  they  say  Lo  here !  or  Lo  there !  for 
behold  the  kingdom  of  God  is  within  you.'  God  is 
no  respecter  of  persons  ;  in  every  nation  he  that  feareth 
Him  and  worketh  righteousness,  is  accepted  with  Him. 

"  Every  church  has  within  it  elements  of  truth  and 
of  error.  There  is  no  perfection  this  side  of  the  City 
of  God. 

"  Nothing  is  more  to  be  deprecated  than  the  prayer 
that  all  may  come  to  think  just  like  our  own  little  clan. 
It  would  be  the  utmost  misfortune  to  all  Christendom 
to  have  only  one  church.  The  city  to  which  only  one 
gate  led,  would  be  another  Babylon,  full  of  the  abom- 
inations of  the  earth. 

"  When  Christ  sent  forth  the  seventy  disciples  into 
every  city  and  place  whither  he  himself  would  come, 
he  gave  them  no  creed,  imposed  no  restrictions  save 
of  the  merest  practical  import.  To  him  who,  wishing 
to  tempt  the  Lord,  asked  him,  'What  shall  I  do  to 
inherit  eternal  life  ? '  reference  was  given  to  the  law 
which  read, '  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with 
all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy 
strength,  and  with  all  thy  mind  ;  and  thy  neighbor  as 
thyself.' 

"  '  Teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever 


A  LETTER  AND  THE  REPLY.          347 

I  have  commanded  you,'  were  the  words  of  Jesus 
to  the  twelve  in  his  commission  to  them  before  his 
departure  from  their  sight.  The  summary  of  these 
'all  things'  was  repentance  and  faith.  This  is  the 
utmost  simplicity  consistent  with  any  expression  of 
doctrine. 

"  Different  temperaments  with  different  degrees  of 
cultivation  require  varying  modes  of  expansion  of  this 
central  doctrine,  in  its  two-fold  expression.  This  is 
well.  It  is  promotive  of  enterprise ;  it  keeps  the 
spiritual  atmosphere  of  churches  comparatively  pure  ; 
it  saveS  man  from  falling  into  the  grossest  error  of  his 
nature,  which  is  tyranny. 

"  Doubtless  God  sees  that  this  is  good,  or  he  would 
not  repeat  his  signal  manifestations  of  goodness  to 
each  and  all  of  the  churches. 

"  Therefore  I  say  to  him  who  prefers  to  journey 
by  the  gate  of  Joseph,  toward  the. City  whose  name  is 
The  Lord  is  there,  let  him  not  tur'n  coldly  away  from 
him  who  cometh  by  the  gate  of  Dan,  or  Simeon,  or 
Gad,  or  Napthali. 

"  This  business  is  between  you  and  God,  and  con- 
cerns no  other  so  nearly. 

"I  enclose  for  you  a  branch  broken  from  the  palm- 
tree,  under  which  once  sat  a  great  Heart. 
Truly  yours, 

EPHRAIM  STEARNS." 

This  was  what  Israel  found  enclosed  :  — 
"  Truth  indeed  came  once  into  the  world  with  her 
Divine  Master,  and  was  a  perfect  shape  most  glorious 
to  look  on  ;  but  when  he  ascended,  and  his  Apostles 


348  CONCLUSION. 

after  him  were  laid  asleep,  then  straight  arose  a 
wicked  race  of  deceivers,  who,  as  that  story  goes  of 
the  Egyptian  Typhon  with  his  conspirators,  how  they 
dealt  with  the  good  Osiris,  took  the  virgin  Truth, 
hewed  her  lovely  form  into  a  thousand  pieces,  and 
scattered  them  to  the  four  winds.  From  that  time 
ever  since,  the  sad  friends  of  Truth,  such  as  durst 
appear,  imitating  the  careful  search  that  Isis  made  for 
the  mangled  body  of  Osiris,  went  up  and  down  gath- 
ering up  limb  by  limb  still  as  they  could  find  them. 
We  have  not  yet  found  them  all,  lords  and  commons, 
nor  ever  shall  do,  till  her  master's  second  coming ; 
he  shall  bring  together  every  joint  and  member,  and 
shall  mould  them  into  an  immortal  feature  of  loveli- 
ness and  perfection."  —  Milton's  Areopagitica. 


CONCLUSION. 

After  this,  Israel  Knight  spent  some  time,  chiefly 
alone.  Among  his  possessions  was  a  solitary  estate 
managed  by  a  tenant  with  a  small  family.  Thither 
he  betook  himself,  and  sought  to  discover  \vhat  man- 
ner of  man  he  was. 

By  accident  he  read  of  Uriel  Acosta,  a  Portuguese, 
who  embraced  so  many  religious  opinions,  he  suffered 
many  persecutions.  Born  a  Christian,  he  became  a 
pervert  to  Judaism,  and  ended  by  being  a  deist.  In 
despair,  he  finally  shot  himself. 

Then  Israel  said  —  "  There  is  peril  in  my  thus  halt- 
ing between  opinions.  Henceforth,  I  will  seek  to  be 


A    LETTER.  349 

a  disciple  of  Christ.  I  shall  love  all  men  though  they 
love  me  not.  In  whatever  place  I  find  a  true  worker 
for  the  good  of  his  fellowmen,  I  will  be  to  him  a 
brother. 

And  with  this  simple  yet  sublime  faith  in  his  heart, 
he  went  forth  again  into  the  world,  no  longer  seeking 
the  city.  He  had  found  it ;  and  over  all  the  gates  on 
either  side,  he  read  this  inscription  :  — 

"  Therefore  tJiou  art  inexcusable,  O  man,  whoso- 
ever thou  art  that  judgest" 


THE  LIBRARY 
UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

Santa  Barbara 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW. 


Series  9482 


